SECT. IV. OBJECTIONS. 32Q 



observation, that the fertile plants of the genera in 

 question have often some latent male flowers inter- 

 spersed among their female flowers, so that the 

 former, though difficult of detection, are sufficient 

 to secure the impregnation of the latter, even when 

 the individual producing them is solitary. 



Tournefort, who denied the doctrine of the sexes Advano 

 altogether, though I do not know upon what precise Town*, 

 grounds, admitted, however, the utility of the sta- fort> 

 mens in the economy of fructification, regarding 

 them as organs both of secretion and excretion 

 the substance excreted being the pollen, and the 

 substance secreted being a peculiar fluid that was 

 conducted by the filaments to the germen. But if Answered, 

 the pollen is merely an excrement, how comes it 

 to be so very curiously organized ? And if the 

 stamens secrete a fluid which they afterwards con- 

 duct to the germen, by what means do they conduct 

 it when placed on a different plant ? 



Pontedera, who was one of the most zealous dis- Urged by 

 ciplcs of Tournefort, and willing to defend him Pontedera ' 

 even where least defensible, not only adopted the 

 opinions of his master on this subject, but en- 

 deavoured to establish them by additional argument; 

 contending that if the stamens and pistils were 

 even destined to the discharge of the functions 

 ascribed to them by the sexualist, yet there are 

 many cases of perfect fructification in which they 

 could not possibly co-operate to the production of 

 the effect ; adducing the example of the Umbelliferce, 



UNIVFDQITV 



