INHERITANCE OF SEX IN MERCURIALIS ANNUA 
24 of the 50 plants produced no seeds. 5 were killed in the process of 
manipulation. Not one of these lived longer than five months, and con- 
sequently it is not known whether they would have produced seeds when 
older. 3 plants died at the end of five and six months, and had produced 
no seeds. Plant no. XXVIII, up to seven months of age, bore no stami- 
nate flowers nor had it set seeds. When it was placed in contact with a 
male, after it had been transferred to the Columbia University greenhouses, 
it bore seeds profusely. 
Fifteen plants (see table i) failed to produce any seeds, although they 
lived as long as those that set seed. Plant no. VII was the most prolific 
producer of seeds; it produced 230 seeds, and it also produced the largest 
number of male flowers — 32. Plants nos. X and XXI each produced more 
than ICQ seeds, 189 and 107 respectively. Plants nos. V, XXVII, and L 
produced 87, 85, and 65 seeds respectively. Plant no. XXXI produced 
47 seeds. Plants nos. Ill and XV produced 33 and 31 seeds respectively. 
Plant XXXII produced 20 seeds, and of the remaining plants, sixteen in 
all produced less than 20 seeds each. 
The largest total number of seeds for all plants appeared in April, the 
smallest number in June. The largest total number of male flowers pro- 
duced was 39. However, 24 of these were produced by plant no. VII. 
The 26 plants which set seeds produced a total of 980 seeds and a total of 
95 male flowers. 
Germination of Seeds from Fi Female Plants 
The seeds of plants nos. Ill and X, which were produced earlier in the 
season than usual, 3 seeds and 2 seeds respectively, were sown in pots of 
previously sterilized soil. All germinated, and five plants were developed 
from them. The rest of the seeds were treated in the same way. The 
seeds of plants nos. XV and XXIV were not sown. A total of 934 seeds 
were sown. Table 2 shows the variability in the percentage of germination. 
In one case, plant no. VII, the germination was over fifty percent. The 
seeds from twelve plants failed to germinate. From the remaining twelve 
plants 199 seedlings were secured. 
I have previously (/. c.) called attention to the low percentage of ger- 
mination, ard I attribute it to the gathering of many of the seeds before 
they were ripe. The seed capsule upon bursting discharges the seeds. 
One becomes familiar with the tiny explosions that indicate the bursting 
of a seed capsule. The force of the explosion is strong enough to send the 
seeds flying several feet away. To guard against any loss there was a 
tendency to gather the seeds as soon as they appeared mature, and this 
resulted undoubtedly in the gathering of many immature seeds; still there 
may be a tendency here to embryo abortion. 21.3% of the total seeds 
sown germinated. 
