The Kansas University Science Bulletin (Vol. I, No. 1)Various
Science
The Kansas University Science Bulletin (Vol. I, No. 1)
Various
Science -- Periodicals
One plant was observed upon which occurred fifty-five to sixty racemes.
Allowing the low average of six pods to the raceme, the plant will
produce in the neighborhood of 20,000 seeds. Occasionally a very large
plant is observed which produces as many as 125 racemes. Allowing the
same low average of six pods to the raceme, it will be seen that on a
plant of this size there will be produced in the neighborhood of 40,000
seeds.
Only a very small proportion of the ovaries fail to develop. Out of the
forty-one racemes observed in five plants, taken at random in different
localities, results were obtained as follows:
Plant 1, 5 racemes, 53 pods, 4 failed.
" 2, 5 " 42 " 3 "
" 3, 9 " 55 " 5 "
" 4, 11 " 91 " 6 "
" 5, 11 " 121 " 5 "
—— ——— ——
41 racemes, 367 pods, 23 failed, or 6.2 per cent.
According to these figures, not more than 6.2 per cent. of the ovaries
failed to be fertilized.
While _Cassia chamæcrista_ is usually abundant in Douglas county,
owing, probably, largely to the severe drought, opportunities for study
were not nearly so favorable as for _Solanum_. The material studied was
found growing, for the most part, in somewhat shaded localities on the
banks of Lake View.
Professor Todd has given very well the points in the structure of the
flower of this species. He says: “The points that are of interest to
us are the sickle-shaped pistil, the stamens with long, rigid anthers
opening by terminal pores, and the most of them pointed toward the
incurved petal, which is always on the opposite side from the pistil.”
The flowers are arranged in small clusters a little above the axils of
the leaves. In some cases the axillary bud also develops into a flower
cluster. The axillary clusters have been considered separately in the
calculations made upon the conditions of the flowers.
Owing to the lack of material, Professor Todd was unable to determine
any definite law governing the arrangement of the flowers in _C.
chamæcrista_. This the writers have attempted to do. The determination
of any law governing the order of development of the flowers in a plant
like _C. chamæcrista_, where they are arranged in clusters developed
from buds produced on the main axis, and the development of which is
probably accelerated or retarded by various conditions, is much more
difficult than in _S. rostratum_, where they are produced on a definite
raceme, which is early differentiated from the terminal growing point,
and at first develops more rapidly than the bud which is to continue
the main axis of the branch.[R]
TABLE D. (Part 1)
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