Harri s , Observations on the Physiology of Seed Development in Staphylea. y 



and the number of seeds matured per fruit. Further data along- 

 these lines are much neededJ) 



We now take up the data available for Staphylea. As a 

 basis of comparison for the correlations for number of fruits per 

 inflorescence and number of seeds per locule I have determined 

 the same relationship for number of ovules per locule. 



To avoid the criticism so offen urg-ed against biometricians, 

 that they obscure biological relationships by massing data, we again 

 work with the individual shrubs for the 1906 collection. The 

 data for the correlation between number of fruits per inflorescence 

 and number of ovules per locule are given in Table I and those 

 for the correlation between number of pods per inflorescence and 

 number of seeds per locule in Table IL These are combination 

 tables, comprising- twenty individual correlation tables each. Data 

 for fnf are unnecessary, for this correlation can be calculated from 

 the data for Vno and rns^) provided Of be known.^) 



Table 1 gives the correlation coefficients. 



These constants are of so low an order that it has seemed 

 idle to calculate the sixty individual probable errors. As in another 

 paper on Stajjhyleo, I have used the approximation Er = . 04. If 

 we demand that a correlation constant shall deviate from by at 

 least 2.5 times its probable error to be considered trustworthy, it is 

 clear that all values between + . 100 and — . 100 must be looked 

 upon as of questionable signifiance. 



Applying this criterion, we note that for r^o thirteen of the 

 twenty values fall within the limits of + . 100, and four exceed it 

 so slightly that no significance is to be attached to them. Two 

 constants are of a magnitude about four times our approximation 

 to the probable error, and one, namely that for plant 28, is about 

 eight to ten times its probable error. Surely no one would venture 



1) Unfortunately, in Staplitjlca we cannot determine the relationship 

 between the number of flowers produced per inflorescence and the fertilty 

 characters. Morphogenetically, it would be interesting to know whether the 

 inflorescences which produce a high number of flowers have fruits with re- 

 latively large (or small) numbers of ovules. From unpublished work, we know 

 that there is somelimes a correlation between the number of fruits which an 

 annual produces and the characteristics of these fruits, but as yet our knowledge 

 of these matters is limited. 



*) It is hardly necessary at this time to note that the biometrician de- 

 signates the coefficient of correlation by ;■ and the two characters between 

 which the correlation is to be determined by the subscript letters. Thus, y^o 

 is to be read "the correlation between the number of pods and the number of 

 ovules per locule". 



The characters considered in this paper are: 

 number of fruits per inflorescence = n, 

 Position of fruits on the inflorescence axis, numbered 



from the proximal to the distal end =: p, 

 number of ovules per locule = o, 

 number of seeds per locule = s, 

 number of ovules failing to develop per locule = f. 

 ä) Data for afave not published here since the correlations between the 

 number of ovules failing to develop are not considered in great detail. They 

 may be published in another connection later. 



1* 



