404 ME,C. DABWIN OK THE ILLEGITIMATE OrrSPillXG 



producing 68 per cent, of tlie full number of seeds. In the pollen 

 of both sets of anthers, nearly as many grains were small and 

 shrivelled as sound. 



Exp. XXIX, — This long-styled plant was legitimately ferti- 

 lized during the unfavourable season of 1864, in the manner de- 

 scribed under Exp. XXVI., and yielded an average, from ten 

 capsules, of 84'6 seeds, with a maximum of 132 and a minimum of 

 47, thus attaining to 91 per cent, of the normal fertility. During 

 the highly favourable season of 1866, when fertilized in the 

 manner likewise described under Exp. XXYI., it yielded an ave- 

 rage, from nine capsules (one poor capsule having been excluded), 

 of 100 seeds, with a maximum of 121 and a minimum of 77. This 

 plant thus exceeded the normal standard, and produced 107 per 

 cent, of seeds. In both sets of anthers there were a good many 

 bad and shrivelled pollen-grains, but not so many as in the last- 

 described plant. 



Exp. XXX. — This long-styled plant was legitimately fertilized 

 during 1866 in the manner described vinder Exp, XXVI., and 

 yielded an average, from eight capsules, of 94 seeds, with a maxi- 

 mum of 106 and a minimum of 66 ; so that it attained 101 per 

 cent, of the normal fertility. 



_E!^j?. XXXI. — Some flowers on this long-styled plant were arti- 

 ficially and legitimately fertilized by one of its brother mid-styled 

 plants ; and five capsules yielded an average of 90*6 seeds, with a 

 maximum of 97 and a minimum of 79. Hence, as far as can be 

 judged from so few capsules, this plant attained, under these 

 favourable circumstances, 98 per cent, of the normal standard. 



Class VI. — Illegitimate plants from the mid-styled fonn ferti- 

 Used hy pollen from the longer stamens of the short-styled form. 



I have shown, in my former paper on Lythrum Salicariay that 

 the union from which these illegitimate plants were derived is far 

 more fertile than any other illegitimate union ; for the mid-styled 

 parent, when thus fertilized, yielded an average (all very poor 

 capsules being excluded) of 102*8 seeds, with a maximum of 130 ; 

 and the plants in the present class accord in character with the 

 but slightly lessened fertility of the parent-union. I raised forty 

 plants; and these attained their full height and were covered with 

 seed-capsules. Nor did I observe any contabescent anthers. It 

 deserves, also, particular notice that these plants, differently from 

 what occurs in any previous class, consisted of all three forms, 

 namely eighteen short-styled, fourteen long-styled, and eight mid- 

 styled plants. From these circumstances, I counted the seed m 



