236 ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPKING OF Chap. V. 



with a few shriyelled grains. In function this pollen was 

 identical with that of the short-styled cowslip ; for ten long- 

 styled flowers of the common cowslip, legitimately fertilised 

 with pollen from a true equal-styled variety, produced six cap- 

 sules, containing on an average 34' 4 seeds ; whilst seven cap- 

 gules on a short-styled cowslip illegitimately fertilised with 

 pollen from the equal- styled variety, yielded an average of only 

 M'6 seeds. 



As the equal-styled plants differ from one another in their 

 powers of reproduction, and as this is an important subject, 

 I will give a few details with respect to five of them. First, an 

 equal-styled plant, protected from insects (as was done in all 

 the following cases, with one stated exception), spontaneously 

 produced numerous capsules, five of which gave an average of 

 44 '8 seeds, with a maximum in one capsule of 57. But .ix 

 capsules, the product of fertilisation with pollen from a short- 

 styled cowslip (and this is a legitimate union), gave an average 

 of 28' 5 seeds, with a maximum of 49 ; and this is a much lower 

 average than might have been expected. Secondly, nine cap- 

 sules from another equal-styled plant, which had not been 

 protected from iasects, but probably was self-fertilised, gave an 

 average of 45 ■ 2 seeds, with a maximum of 58. Thirdly, another 

 plant which had a very short pistil in 1865, produced spon- 

 taneously many capsules, six of which contained an average of 

 33 '9 seeds, with a maximum of 38. In 1866 this same plant 

 had a pistil of wonderful length ; for it projected quite above 

 the anthers, and the stigma resembled that of the long-styled 

 form. In this condition it produced spontaneously a vast 

 number of fine capsules, six of which contained almost exactly 

 the same average number as before, viz. 34 '3, with a maximum 

 of 38. Four flowers on this plant, legitimately fertilised with 

 pollen from a short-styled cowslip, yielded capsules with an 

 average of 30 '2 seeds. Fourthly, another short-styled plant 

 spontaneously produced in 1865 an abundance of capsules, ten 

 of which contained an average of 35 • 6 seeds, with a maximum 

 of 54. In 1866 this same plant had become in all respects long- 

 styled, and ten capsules gave almost exactly the same average 

 as before, viz. 35 ■! seeds, with a maximum of 47. Eight 

 flowers on this plant, legitimately fertilised with pollen from 

 a short-styled cowslip, produced six capsules, with the high 

 average of 53 seeds, and the high maximum of 67. Eight 

 flowers were also fertilised with pollen from a long-styled cow- 



