CHAP. VI. ON HETEROSTYLED PLANTS. 273 



been observed, as shown in the last chapter, in no less 

 than six species, namely, P. veris, vulgaris, Sinensis, 

 auricula, farinosa, and elatior. In the case of P. veris, 

 the stamens resemble in length, position and size 

 of their pollen-grains the stamens of the short-styled 

 form ; whilst the pistil closely resembles that ' of the 

 long-styled, but as it varies much in length, one proper 

 to the short-styled form appears to have been elongated 

 and to have assumed at the same time the functions 

 of a long-styled pistil. Consequently the flowers are 

 capable of spontaneous self-fertilisation of a legiti- 

 mate nature and yield a full complement of seed, or 

 even more than the number produced by ordinary 

 flowers legitimately fertilised. With P. Sinensis, on 

 the other hand, the stamens resemble in all respects 

 the shorter ones proper to the long-styled form, whilst 

 the pistil makes a near approach to that of the short- 

 styled, but as it varies in length, it would appear as 

 if a long-styled pistil had been reduced in length and 

 modified in function. The flowers in this case as in 

 the last are capable of spontaneous legitimate ferti- 

 lisation, and are rather more productive than ordinary 

 flowers legitimately fertilised. With P. auricula and 

 farinosa the stamens resemble those of the short-styled 

 form in length, but those of the long-styled in the 

 size of their pollen-grains ; the pistil also resembles that 

 of the long-styled, so that although the stamens and 

 pistil are of nearly equal length, and consequently 

 pollen is spontaneously deposited on the stigma, yet 

 the flowers are not legitimately fertilised and yield 

 only a very moderate supply of seed. We thus see, 

 firstly, that equal-styled varieties have originated in 

 various ways, and, secondly, that the combination of 

 the two forms in the same flower differs in complete* 



