581.1 337 
Vii 
The Seed Production of Cut Flowers 
N the second number of the Botanische Zeitung for this year (Jan. 
16th 1897, p. 17) Ludwig Jost brings to light a very curious 
fact in historical botany. He points out that at the close of 1896 
H. Lindemuth has re-discovered a phenomenon, which has already 
twice before been described as new. ; 
It is a well-known feature of many ‘bulbous plants that their 
flowers are normally sterile, and that their reproduction takes place 
exclusively by the vegetative process of bulb formation. More than 
three hundred years ago (1577) Konrad Gesner noticed that if the 
flower stalks of these plants be separated from the bulb, the flowers 
will set their seed. This observation, however, fell into the general 
oblivion which overshadowed the whole of Gesner’s work. In 1790 
—two hundred years later—Medicus re-discovered the fact, and 
wrote of it in his paper “ Ueber Saamenansezen an abgeschnittenen 
Bliithenstengeln einiger Zwiebeln und Knollengewachse” (Romer 
and Usteri’s Magazin fiir die Botan., vol. xi., p. 6.) He was 
examining the tubers of Stellarioides canalicuta (? Anthericum), 
and in doing so cut off the inflorescence, which he stood up in a 
corner of the greenhouse for the gardeners to clear away. Returning 
to the house a few days later he saw that the flower still remained 
where he had left it, and that, moreover, it was still fresh and 
unwithered. This interested him, and he determined to see how 
long it would last thus “cut off from its bulb and standing in a 
dry position exposed to the sun heat.” 
Stellarioides had been grown and flowered in this greenhouse 
during the three previous years without once setting seed. “I was 
no little surprised, therefore,” he says, “to find that in due course of 
time the older flowers of this inflorescence, which had been separated 
from its bulb, formed true seed capsules.” “ This really remarkable 
and quite unexpected result,” he continues, “ led me at once to other 
experiments. For twenty years past Amarillis reginae L. had 
bloomed in this greenhouse without once setting seed; as soon as 
the flowers drooped, it was seen that their ovaries and all they ° 
contained withered likewise.” Medicus next proceeded to cut off 
an inflorescence, including three flowers, and to leave this standing 
in the greenhouse. After a time all three flowers formed seed 
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