42G MR. C. BAKWTK ON TUE ILLEGTTIMATK OFFSVl^TNG 



and the one short-styled illegitimate plant were extremely sterile. 

 Their sterility was shown, as in the case of hybrids, in another 

 way, namely, by their flowering profusely, and especially by the 

 long endurance of the flowers. Por instance, I fertilized many 

 flowers on these plants, and fifteen days subsequently (viz. on 

 March 22nd) I fertilized numerous long-styled and short-styled 

 flowers on common Cowslips which grew close by. These latter 

 flowers, on April 8th, were withered, whilst most of the illegiti- 

 mate flowers remained quite fresh for several days subsequently ; 

 so that some of these illegitimate plants, after being fertilized, 

 remained in full bloom for above a month. 



I must add a few words on the degree of fertility of the 53 

 illegitimate long-styled grandchildren, descended from the long- 

 styled plant which was first fertilized with its own pollen. The 

 pollen in two of these grandchildren w^as examined and found to 

 include a multitude of small and shrivelled grains. iN'everthe- 

 less these plants were not very sterile ; for 25 flowers, fertilized 

 with their own pollen, produced 15 capsules, containing an ave- 

 rage of 16'3 seeds. As already stated, the probable average 

 with legitimate plants for a union of this nature is rather above 

 20 seeds. But it should be observed that these plants were 

 remarkably healthy and vigorous, being placed under highly fa- 

 vourable conditions, and grown in pots in the greenhouse ; and we 

 shall hereafter have occasion to show that such treatment greatly 

 increases the fertility of the Cowslip. AVhen these same plants 

 were planted during the next year (which, however, was unfa- 

 vourable) out of doors, in the same place with all the other 

 plants, 20 self-fertilized flowers produced only 5 capsules, con- 

 taining extremely few and wretched seeds. Four long-styled 

 great-grandchildren were raised, as previously stated, from the 

 self-fertilized grandchildren : they were kept under the same 

 highly favourable conditions in the greenhouse ; and 10 self- 

 fertilized flowers yielded the large proportion of 6 capsules, con- 

 taining on an average 18*7 seeds. Although, under the circum- 



stances jnst stated, we cannot compare the fertility of these plants 

 with those of the first generation, grown out of doors, yet we 

 may infer that illegitimate descent during three successive gene- 

 rations did not much, or at all, increase their sterility. 



Equal-styled red variety of P. veris. — Mr. Scott has described * 

 a plant of this kind growing in the Botanic Garden of Edinburgh. 

 He states that it was" highly self- fertile, although insects were 



* Proc. Linn. Soc. vol. viii. (1864) p. 105. 



