Long-styled form, mid-length stamens (Average of 20 measurements): 13.2. Long-styled form, shortest stamens (10 measurements): 9.0.
Mid-styled form, longest stamens (15 measurements) : 16.4. Mid-styled form, shortest stamens (20 measurements): 9.1.
Short-styled form, longest stamens (20 measurements): 14.6. Short-styled form, mid-length stamens (20 measurements): 12.3.
We have here the usual rule of the grains from the longer stamens, the tubes of which have to penetrate the longer pistil, being larger than those from the stamens of less length. The extreme difference in diameter between the grains from the longest stamens of the mid-styled form, and from the shortest stamens of the long-styled, is as 16.4 to 9.0, or as 100 to 55; and this is the greatest difference observed by me in any heterostyled plant. It is a singular fact that the grains from the corresponding longest stamens in the two forms differ considerably in diameter; as do those in a lesser degree from the corresponding mid-length stamens in the two forms; whilst those from the corresponding shortest stamens in the long- and mid-styled forms are almost exactly equal. Their inequality in the two first cases depends on the grains in both sets of anthers in the short-styled form being smaller than those from the corresponding anthers in the other two forms; and here we have a case parallel with that of the mid-styled form of Lythrum salicaria. In this latter plant the pollen-grains of the mid-styled forms are of smaller size and have less fertilising power than the corresponding ones in the other two forms; whilst the ovarium, however fertilised, yields a greater number of seeds; so that the mid-styled form is altogether more feminine in nature than the other two forms. In the case of Pontederia, the ovarium includes only a single ovule, and what the meaning of the difference in size between the pollen-grains from the corresponding sets of anthers may be, I will not pretend to conjecture.
The clear evidence that the species just described is heterostyled and trimorphic is the more valuable as there is some doubt with respect to P. cordata, an inhabitant of the United States. Mr. Leggett suspects that it is either dimorphic or trimorphic, for the pollen-grains of the longer stamens are “more than twice the diameter or than eight times the mass of the grains of the shorter stamens. Though minute, these smaller grains seem as perfect as the larger ones.” (4/16. ‘Bulletin of the Torrey Botanical Club’ 1875 volume 6 page 62.) On the other hand, he says that in all the mature flowers, “the style was as long at least as the longer stamens;” “whilst in the young flowers it was intermediate in length between the two sets of stamens;” and if this be so, the species can hardly be heterostyled.
CHAPTER V. ILLEGITIMATE OFFSPRING OF HETEROSTYLED PLANTS.
Illegitimate offspring from all three forms of Lythrum salicaria.
Their dwarfed stature and sterility, some utterly barren, some fertile.
Oxalis, transmission of form to the legitimate and illegitimate seedlings.
Primula Sinensis, Illegitimate offspring in some degree dwarfed and infertile.
Equal-styled varieties of P. Sinensis, auricula, farinosa, and elatior.
P. vulgaris, red-flowered variety, Illegitimate seedlings sterile.
P. veris, Illegitimate plants raised during several successive generations,
their dwarfed stature and sterility.
Equal-styled varieties of P. veris.
Transmission of form by Pulmonaria and Polygonum.
Concluding remarks.
Close parallelism between illegitimate fertilisation and hybridism.
We have hitherto treated of the fertility of the flowers of heterostyled plants, when legitimately and illegitimately fertilised. The present chapter will be devoted to the character of their offspring or seedlings. Those raised from legitimately fertilised seeds will be here called LEGITIMATE SEEDLINGS or PLANTS, and those from illegitimately fertilised seeds, ILLEGITIMATE SEEDLINGS or PLANTS. They differ chiefly in their degree of fertility, and in their powers of growth or vigour. I will begin with trimorphic plants, and I must remind the reader that each of the three forms can be fertilised in six different ways; so that all three together can be fertilised in eighteen different ways. For instance, a long-styled form can be fertilised legitimately by the longest stamens of the mid-styled and short-styled forms, and illegitimately by its own- form and mid-length and shortest stamens, also by the mid-length stamens of the mid-styled and by the shortest stamens of the short-styled form; so that the long-styled can be fertilised legitimately in two ways and illegitimately in four ways. The same holds good with respect to the mid-styled and short-styled forms. Therefore with trimorphic species six of the eighteen unions yield legitimate offspring, and twelve yield illegitimate offspring.