24 PLANT HYBRIDIZATION BEFORE MENDEL 



"All the observations concerning the generation of hybrid plants, 

 which we have hitherto instituted, show manifestly the interior plant or 

 fructification, to be similar to the mother, the exterior plant, however, or 

 'mask,' to repeat the image of the father." (8d, p. 293.) 



Again it is stated : 



"It is indeed true that numerous hybrid plants do not propagate the 

 species through the seeds, but it nevertheless does not follow that all 

 hybrids are sterile. For that new Tragopogon which our President pro- 

 duced and described in the St. Petersburg discussion, is propagated an- 

 nually from the seeds." {ib., pp. 293-4.) 



The general conclusion regarding hybrids follows : 



"in a word, when the stigmas of any plant are sprinkled with foreign 

 pollen, in some cases nothing occurs ; where such fecundation succeeds, 

 there proceed from these seeds when sown, plants called hybrids, 

 which, in the fructification, re-image the mother ; in the plant, however, 

 most strongly the father. These hybrids, thus born, are either fertile, 

 as Delphinium aconiti, Tragopogon hybridum, etc., or persist simply 

 sterile like mules, and if they flower they nevertheless produce no seeds, 

 as Verbascum Thapsus, Veronica Verbenae, etc. The flowers of these 

 sterile plants being examined, the anthers are observed to be sterile, 

 destitute of any pollen." {ib., p. 294.) 



An interesting experiment of Linnaeus upon the banana is then 

 recounted as follows: 



"Musa Paradisiaca, from its spadix, produces first female flowers ; 

 then at length the males ; the fruits of this Musa, before they flower, 

 have almost attained their proper size, and thereafter they are ma- 

 tured without any seed contained within the fruit. Hence it was said 

 that Musa is the only plant known, which is destitute of seeds, and is 

 multiplied by human means by dividing the roots. Accordingly, the 

 President hoped at some time to obtain two Musa plants flowering at 

 about the same time, so that he might fecundate the precocious female 

 flowers of the one with the pollen of the male flowers of the other, 

 which he did three years ago. When indeed he removed the anthers from 

 the male flowers for pollinating the pistils of the other, he observed all 

 these anthers in the male flowers to be altogether destitute of pollen. 

 Hence he concluded Musa Paradisiaca to be purely a hybrid plant, 

 sprung perchance from Musa Bihai as the mother, and from an undeter- 

 minable Indian father." {ib., p. 294.) 



On November 23, 1751, appeared a discussion, included in the 

 "Amoenitates Academicae" (vol. 3, pp. 28-52, 1764) by another 

 of Linnaeus' pupils, Johannes Haartman, entitled "Plantae Hy- 

 bridae." (8b.) 



This discussion upon hybrid plants is to be noted, insofar as 

 it reflects the views of Linnaeus and his school on the subject. 



