The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species

by Charles Darwin

SHORT-STYLED FORM.

Twenty-five flowers fertilised legitimately by the stamens of corresponding length, borne by the long and mid-styled forms, yielded 72 per cent of capsules, which (excluding one capsule with only 9 seeds) contained on an average 70.8 seeds.

Twenty short-styled flowers fertilised illegitimately by the other stamens of the long and mid-styled forms yielded only two very poor capsules.

Twenty short-styled flowers fertilised illegitimately by their own stamens yielded only two poor (or perhaps three) capsules.

If we take all six legitimate unions together, and all twelve illegitimate unions together, we get the following results: