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Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

"The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species"


FIFTHLY.
Repeated last experiment, and, after leaving pollen on for nineteen hours, put
on an additional quantity of own-form pollen on all five stigmas. After an
interval of three days, the stigmas were examined, and, instead of being
discoloured and twisted, they were straight and fresh-coloured. Only one grain
had emitted a quite short tube, which was drawn out of the stigmatic tissue
without being ruptured.
The following experiments are more striking:--
SIXTHLY.
I placed own-form pollen on three of the stigmas of a long-styled flower, and
pollen from a short-styled flower on the other two stigmas. After twenty-two
hours these two stigmas were discoloured, slightly twisted, and penetrated by
the tubes of numerous pollen-grains: the other three stigmas, covered with their
own-form pollen, were fresh, and all the pollen-grains were loose; but I did not
dissect the whole stigma.
SEVENTHLY.
Experiment repeated in the same manner, with the same result.
EIGHTHLY.
Experiment repeated, but the stigmas were carefully examined after an interval
of only five hours and a half. The two stigmas with pollen from a short-styled
flower were penetrated by innumerable tubes, which were as yet short, and the
stigmas themselves were not at all discoloured. The three stigmas covered with
their own-form pollen were not penetrated by a single pollen-tube.


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