INHERITANCE OF SEX IN MERCURIALIS ANNUA 
Table 6. Male Plants of Mercurialis annua 
423 
Plant 
August 
September 
October 
November 
Age of 
Plant 
at Death 
Total Number of Seeds 
238 
240 
241 
242 
243 
244 
245 
247 
248, 
249 
250. 
252. 
253. 
254- 
255. 
256. 
258. 
259- 
275- 
276. 
278. 
279. 
277. 
280. 
300. 
325- 
326. 
328. 
"5 
3 
5 
2 
ti 
3 
34 
2 
2 
3 
5 
6 
10 
3 
3 
5 
4 
68 
3 
4 
5 
6 
5 
5 
13 
4 
12 
3 
4 
4 
t3 
t3 
5 
I 
2 
7 
16 
2 
8 
I 
I 
I 
I 
7 months 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
7 
6{ I 
{3 
^"'3 
5 
3 
5{i 
93 
6 
crushed 
immature 
immature 
lost 
immature 
immature 
lost 
lost 
lost 
immature 
10 immature 
2 immature 
II 
{ 3 immature 
^ f I immature 
^\ I lost 
4{ • 
15 { 
3 
2 
2 
16 ; 
I 
2 
10 
I 
8t 
1 immature 
2 immature 
5 immature 
Total. 
75 139 28 52 53 92 
283 
* 2 aborted ovaries. 
t Three-parted ovary. 
X Seeds not used for germination. 
Total female flowers, 1 56. 
Germination of Seeds from the Male Plants 
In March and April, 1916, 219 of the 283 seeds collected from the male 
plants reported in table 6 were sown. The seeds of 25 plants germinated 
(see table 7), while the seeds from two plants did not germinate. The 
largest number of germinating seeds was 31, those of plant no. 247. Five 
seeds split their seed coats and showed themselves above the soil, but failed 
to develop further. 
Fi Generation from Male Plants 
Soon after the seedlings had established themselves, they were pricked 
out and placed in individual pots. Three weeks after they germinated the 
