The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable KingdomDarwin, Charles
Science
The Effects of Cross & Self-Fertilisation in the Vegetable Kingdom
Darwin, Charles
Fertilization of plants; Plants -- Variation; Pollination
Under these circumstances, it seemed advisable to ascertain what would
be the effect of legitimately crossing long-styled plants of the fourth
illegitimate generation with pollen taken from non-related short-styled
plants, growing under different conditions. Accordingly several flowers
on plants of the fourth illegitimate generation (i.e.,
great-great-grandchildren of plants which had been legitimately
fertilised), growing vigorously in pots in the greenhouse, were
legitimately fertilised with pollen from an almost wild short-styled
cowslip, and these flowers yielded some fine capsules. Thirty other
flowers on the same illegitimate plants were fertilised with their own
pollen, and these yielded seventeen capsules, containing on an average
thirty-two seeds. This is a high degree of fertility; higher, I believe,
than that which generally obtains with illegitimately fertilised
long-styled plants growing out of doors, and higher than that of the
previous illegitimate generations, although their flowers were
fertilised with pollen taken from a distinct plant of the same form.
These two lots of seeds were sown (for they will not germinate well when
placed on bare sand) on the opposite sides of four pots, and the
seedlings were thinned, so that an equal number were left on the two
sides. For some time there was no marked difference in height between
the two lots; and in Pot 3, Table 6/93, the self-fertilised plants were
rather the tallest. But by the time that they had thrown up young
flower-stems, the legitimately crossed plants revealed much the finest,
and had greener and larger leaves. The breadth of the largest leaf on
each plant was measured, and those on the crossed plants were on an
average a quarter of an inch (exactly .28 of an inch) broader than those
on the self-fertilised plants. The plants, from being too much crowded,
produced poor and short flower-stems. The two finest on each side were
measured; the eight on the legitimately crossed plants averaged 4.08,
and the eight on the illegitimately self-fertilised plants averaged 2.93
inches in height; or as 100 to 72.
These plants after they had flowered were turned out of their pots, and
planted in fairly good soil in the open ground. In the following year
(1870), when in full flower, the two tallest flower-stems on each side
were again measured, as shown in Table 6/93, which likewise gives the
number of flower-stems produced on both sides of all the pots.
TABLE 6/93. Primula veris.
Heights of plants measured in inches.
Column 1: Number (Name) of Pot.
Column 2: Height: Legitimately crossed Plants.
Column 3: Number of Flower-stems produced: Legitimately crossed Plants.
Column 4: Height: Illegitimately crossed Plants.
Column 5: Number of Flower-stems produced: Illegitimately crossed
Plants.
Pot 1 : 9 : 16 : 2 1/8 : 3.
Pot 1 : 8 : : 3 4/8.
Pot 2 : 7 : 16 : 6 : 3.
Pot 2 : 6 4/8 : : 5 4/8.
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