Chap. VI. PEIMULA SINENSIS. 225 



We thus see what a great effect, as far as fertility is concerned, 

 was produced by a cross between the two varieties, which had 

 been long exposed to different conditions, in comparison with 

 self-fertilisation; the fertilisation having been in both cases of 

 the legitimate order. 



Peimula sinensis. 



As the Chinese primrose is a heterostyled or dimorphic plant, 

 like the common cowslip, it might have been expected that the 

 flowers of both forms when illegitimately fertilised with their 

 own pollen or with that from flowers on another plant of the 

 same form, would have yielded less seed than the legitimately 

 crossed flowers; and that the seedlings raised from illegiti- 

 mately self-fertilised seeds would have been somewhat dwarfed 

 and less fertile, in comparison with the seedlings from legiti- 

 mately crossed seeds. This holds good in relation to the fer- 

 tility of the flowers; but to my surprise there was no difference 

 in growth between the offspring from a legitimate union between 

 two distinct plants, and from an illegitimate union whether 

 between the flowers on the same plant, or between distinct plants 

 of the same form. But I have shown, in the work lately referred 

 to, that in England this plant is in an abnormal condition, 

 such as, judging from analogous cases, would tend to render a 

 cross between two individuals of no benefit to the offspring. 

 Our plants have been commonly raised from self-fertilised 

 seeds ; and the seedlings have generally been subjected to nearly 

 uniform conditions in pots in greenhouses. Moreover, many of 

 the plants are now varying and changing their character, so as 

 to become in a greater or less degree equal-styled, and in con- 

 sequence highly self-fertile. From the analogy of P. veris there 

 can hardly be a doubt that if a plant of P. sinensis could have 

 been procured direct from China, and if it had been crossed 

 with one of our English varieties, the offspring would have 

 shown wonderful superiority in height and fertility (though 

 probably not in the beauty of their flowers) over our ordinary 

 plants. 



My first experiment consisted in fertih'sing many flowers on 

 long-styled and short-styled plants with their own pollen, and' 

 other flowers on the same plants with pollen taken from distinct 

 plants belonging to the same form ; so that all the unions were 

 illegitimate. There was no uniform and marked difference in 



Q 



