GENERATION". 135 



the germ to be vivified have their origin in separate 

 organs ; that the/ormer is to be looked for as connected 

 with the stamen, the latter with the pistil, and finally 

 that we have therefore sexes in plants, the stamens of 

 which may be held analagous to the generative organs of 

 male animals, the pistilla, to those of females. 



223. To trace how far back the knowledge of different 

 sexes in plants existed, and to prove how early the par- 

 ticular structures representing each sex were known, is 

 not our place here ; but we may remark that Theophras- 

 tus speaks of bringing the male Date in contact with the 



female one, in order to procure fruit; and that Zalu- 

 ziansky in 1604, (if not in 1592,) says that most plants 

 are hermaphrodite, for they show both male and female 

 generative organs. The circumstances too which have 

 inclined the world towards a belief in the existence 

 of distinct sexes in vegetables may be passed over, as- 

 suming for the present, that such is really the case. 



224. The act of fecundation ensues in most cases, 

 whilst the flowers of the plant are in greatest beauty, 

 and begins with a degree of rising of the anther, accom- 

 panied by a dispersion of pollen ; in some plants it is ac- 

 companied by the evolution of heat and a strong odour ; 

 the first being especially seen in the Aroidese, but this 

 rising of the anther and dispersion of pollen, may take 

 place at later or earlier periods, even as soon as the 

 flower opens, and in some cases in the closed flower. 



225. In the greater number of cases, damp and rainy 

 weather is detrimental to the plastic process of impreg- 

 nation ; and we know several submerged plants whose 

 flowers rise to the surface of the water, to await this 

 process ; but on the other hand, we know plants in which 

 it takes place beneath its surface. 



226. It is doubtful how far very high temperature is 

 injurious to the performance of impregnation, though 

 said to be so in some works upon the subject ; for Meyen 

 saw the most luxuriant vegetation upon the coast of 

 Southern China, whilst for months the temperature was 

 nearly 100 Fall. 



