1886-87.] the Floivers of Wachendorfia paniculata. 



75 



lowest cyme (I.) of A, the first flower being held as opening 

 on the 1st day, the second opening on the 4th, the third on 

 the 10th, and so on. The figures 1, 4, 7, 9, 11, 15, 17, 19 

 in A, and 6, 9, 13, 14, 15 in B, indicate instances in which 

 one flower alone was expanded ; and the absence of 12 in 

 the latter indicates that on the 12th day no flower opened. 



Eighty flowers were experimented on during the summer 

 of 1885, the object being to discover whether the dimorphism 

 is of service in the economy of the plant, viz., a means of 

 securing a better yield of seed by cross-fertilisation. 



Results of Experiments with Wachendorfia paniculata. 



Of the eighty flowers experimented with, ten were left 

 alone, and two of these bore one small seed each, pollination 

 of an inferior character having been effected by some acci- 

 dental agency. The eighteen flowers impregnated with their 

 own pollen yielded twenty-five seeds, that is an average of 

 1'33 for each flower — no inconsiderable success. Twelve 

 flowers crossed with pollen from others on the same plant 

 bore six seeds — average '5 for each flower. Seven flowers 

 crossed with pollen from similarly constructed flowers on 



