44 HISTORY OF BOTANY 



supposes the stamens to perform the office of male, and 

 that the pollen or little globules with which their apices 

 are filled, and which separate from them when mature, 

 serves the purpose of fructifying the parts which must be 

 fecundated, and that the majority of plants are bisexual, 

 that is, contain both sexes in the same corolla . . . nor 

 is there occasion that the farina (pollen) should pass 

 into the uterus (ovary) or the seeds, but only a subtle 

 effluvia which is capable by itself of vivifying the included 

 embryos." You will note that Ray interprets Grew as 

 believing that the pollen does not actually induce the 

 formation of an embryo but only stimulates it to further 

 development. " This opinion of Grew, however/ 1 Ray 

 continues, " of the use of the pollen before mentioned 

 wants yet more decided proofs ; we can only admit the 

 doctrine as extremely probable/' In his Synopsis, also 

 published before the De sexu plantarum of Camerarius, 

 Ray says, " Hence indeed is confirmed the opinion of 

 those who teach that the dust contained in the apices of 

 the stamens performs the functions of the male." As 

 this was written four years before Camerarius wrote his 

 book it is scarcely correct to say that the latter author 

 actually discovered sexuality in plants. His contribution 

 a very important one without doubt to the solution 

 of the problem is really an experimental proof of the 

 correctness of the theory suggested by Grew and supported 

 by Ray, and to that extent he is entitled to full credit. 

 *This experimental proof was obtained by removing the 

 stamens from flowers before the pollen was shed, in such 

 cases as Maize, Dog's Mercury, Castor-oil, etc., and 

 finding that in such circumstances no seeds were produced. 

 From his experiments Camerarius was led to announce 

 quite definitely that the stamens were male organs and 

 that the ovary and style were female organs. 



During the years immediately following the establish- 

 ment of the doctrine of sexuality in the higher plants at 

 least, the most contradictory opinions were expressed on 



