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Darwin, Charles, 1809-1882

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

But I give under each
experiment the percentage of seeds produced by the illegitimate plants, in
comparison with the standard legitimate number of the same form. For instance,
ten capsules from the illegitimate long-styled plant (Number 10), which was
legitimately and naturally fertilised by other illegitimate plants, contained on
an average 44.2 seeds; whereas the capsules on legitimate long-styled plants,
legitimately and naturally fertilised by other legitimate plants, contained on
an average 93 seeds. Therefore this illegitimate plant yielded only 47 per cent
of the full and normal complement of seeds.
STANDARD NUMBER OF SEEDS PRODUCED BY LEGITIMATE PLANTS OF THE THREE FORMS, WHEN
LEGITIMATELY FERTILISED.
Long-styled form:
Average number of seeds in each capsule, 93;
Maximum number observed out of twenty-three capsules, 159.
Mid-styled form:
Average number of seeds, 130;
Maximum number observed out of thirty-one capsules, 151.
Short-styled form:
Average number of seeds, 83.5; but we may, for the sake of brevity, say 83;
Maximum number observed out of twenty-five capsules, 112.
CLASSES 1 AND 2. ILLEGITIMATE PLANTS RAISED FROM LONG-STYLED PARENTS FERTILISED
WITH POLLEN FROM THE MID-LENGTH OR THE SHORTEST STAMENS OF OTHER PLANTS OF THE
SAME FORM.
From this union I raised at different times three lots of illegitimate
seedlings, amounting altogether to 56 plants.


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