34 
The Bulletin 
The strongest link in the chain of evidence yet secured, which points 
out that the Hope vine is essentially a staminate vine with its suppressed 
pistils regenerated, lies in the evidence already submitted, to the effect 
that although fertile when treated with pollen from the same or similar 
flowers, these pistils are often unfertile when treated with pollen from a 
staminate vine. 
Whether our race of self-fertile hermaphrodite vines represents a 
progressive step in the line of the evolution of rotundifolia grape flowers 
is a question that is not so easily proven. The fact that staminate vines 
show much variation in the size of the suppressed pistils, and that all 
of the hermaphrodite vines which function as pistillate vines bear 
stamens and pollen, although functionless, seems to indicate that early 
in the history of Yitis all of the vines bore hermaphrodite flowers whose 
stamens and pistils were perfect and functional. Considering the facts 
of the case in the light of our recent investigations, we may assume our 
original vine Hope to he a partial reversion to its ancient hermaphrodite 
ancestors. 
VIII. Summary 
The investigations regarding the inheritance of self-fertility in Yitis 
rotundifolia which are being carried on at this Station have led to the 
following conclusions: 
1. That Hope, the first discovered hermaphrodite grape vine of the 
species Yitis rotundifolia, which hears upright stamens, is self-fertile. 
2. That the self-fertility of the Hope vine is variable, and seems to 
depend on its inner constitution. 
3. That floral types in Yitis rotundifolia are transmitted to the 
progeny in definite ratios. Substituting S for staminate flowers, R for 
hermaphrodite flowers with reflexed stamens, and IT for hermaphrodite 
flowers with upright stamens, we find that 
R X *3 — 1 R : 1.06 S 
R X IT = 1.07 R : 1 IT 
IT X IT = S : R (ratios not determined) 
4. That the Hope vine, and some of its self-fertile progeny, apparently 
will not cross with staminate vines. 
5. That in Yitis rotundifolia the upright stamen in hermaphrodite 
flowers is correlated with normal, viable pollen, and self-fertility; that 
the reflexed stamen in hermaphrodite flowers is always associated with 
defective pollen and self-sterility. 
6. That the Hope vine and all of its seedlings, which hear upright 
stamens, appear and behave essentially like staminate vines except for 
the facts that the flowers usually contain well developed pistils, and that 
fruit is subsequently produced. 
7. That the Hope vine probably is a staminate vine whose long sup¬ 
pressed pistils have suddenly been regenerated and have recovered the 
power to function. 
