oe THE FERTILIZATION 
“In Lythrum salicaria (Spiked Loosestrife) three plain- 1 í 
ly distinct forms occur; each of these is an hermaphro- — 7 
dite; each is distinct in its female organs from the other 
two forms; and each is furnished with two sets of stamens i 
or males, differing from each other as much as if they be- 
longed to different species; and if smaller functional dif- ~ 
ferences are considered, there are five distinct sets of 
males. Two of the three hermaphrodites must co-exist, — 
and the pollen be carried by insects reciprocally from one 
to the other, in order that either of the two should be fully 
fertile ; but, unless all three forms co-exist, there will be 
a waste of two sets of stamens, and the organization of the 
species as a whole will be imperfect. On the other hand, 
when all three hermaphrodites co-exist, and the pollen is — 
carried from the one to the other, the scheme is perfect; — 4 
there is no waste of pollen and no false co-adaptation. In 
short, nature has ordained a most complex marriage ar- 
rangement, namely, a triple union between three hermaph- 
rodites, each hermaphrodite being in its female organ quit 
distinct from the other two hermaphrodites, and partially 
nN in its male organs, and each is furnished with two 
PEISE 
Tt farther appears, “that only the longest stamens full 
fertilize the longest pistils, the middle stamens the middle 
pistil, and the shortest stamens the shortest pistil. And 
