266 Transactions. — Botany. 



occasion I saw a specimen in a greenhouse bearing nearly a 

 dozen berries, but this was a solitary instance. The seeds are 

 numerous, but possess a low power of germination. Of the 

 total number of seeds contained in two large fruits from a 

 short-styled plant only two germinated ; both came true to 

 the parent, and produced short-styled flowers. The rarity of 

 fruit on cultivated plants and its absence on wild plants is 

 surprising when it is remembered that the flowers are erect, 

 and that the anthers and stigma of the mid- and short-styled 

 forms are in such a position that the transfer of pollen by 

 minute insects could scarcely be avoided ; moreover, there is 

 no evident tendency to dichogamy. 



F. procumbens is an extremely rare and local plant ; it is 

 far from abundant in any of the few localities in which it is 

 found. From the absence of fruit in the wild state, in which 

 only a single form of flower is present, and its rare occurrence 

 in cultivation under the same condition, it must be inferred 

 that each form of flower is sterile with its own pollen, or, at 

 least, that it is not capable of fertilisation in any appreciable 

 degree. The same cause doubtless accounts both for the 

 rarity of the plant and its restricted distribution, as well as 

 for its remarkable uniformity in habit and foliage when com- 

 pared with F. colensoi and F. excorticata. 



The following conclusions appear to be warranted by what 

 has been already stated : — 



1. Self-fertilisation occurs but rarely, and, so far as evi- 

 dence is available, the number of perfect seeds produced by 

 self-fertilised flowers is extremely small. 



2. The long-styled flowers of F. excorticata and F. colensoi 

 are practically female flowers, but produce fruit more abun- 

 dantly than either of the hermar)hrodite forms. 



3. The hermaphrodite forms are reciprocally related, and 

 have a special relationship with the long-styled form. 



The precise amount of advantage derived from the fertilisa- 

 tion of the long-styled form of F. excorticata with pollen from 

 both mid- and short-styled forms can only be determined by a 

 long and careful series of experiments. Some advantages 

 must be obtained by the reduced demands upon the vital 

 energy of the plant arising from the non-development of 

 pollen. 



As the mid- and short-styled forms of F. procumbens are 

 not unfrequent under cultivation, it would be comparatively 

 easy to ascertain the effects of intercrossing between these 

 forms. The long-styled form is rare, and not easily obtained. 

 It is most desirable that this form should be placed in the 

 hands of the cultivator, since the species is unable to extend 

 itself in a state of nature, and is gradually dying out ; while 



