As to the Stamina with their Apices, and the Stylus, (called the Attire by Dr. Grew) they are admirable, whether we consider their Colours, or their Make, especially their Use, if it be as Dr. Grew, Mr. Ray, and others imagine, namely, as a Male Sperm, to impregnate and fructify the Seed. Which Opinion is corroborated by the ingenious Observations of Mr. Sam. Morland, in Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 287.
Reliqua usus alimentique gratiâ genuit [Natura] ideoque secula annosque tribuit iis. Flores verò odoresque in diem gignit: magnâ (ut palam est) admonitione hominum, quæ spectatissimè floreant, celerrimè marcescere. Plin. N. H. L. 21. c. 1.
[h] As to the curious and gradual Process of Nature in the Formation of the Seed or Fruit of Vegetables, Cuts being necessary, I shall refer to Dr. Grew, p. 45, and 209, and Malpig. p. 57.
[] Vetus est Empedoclis dogma, Plantarum semina Ova esse, ab iisdem decidua——Inest in eo [Ovo vel Semine] velut in cicatrice, non sola viventis carina, sed cum minimo trunco assurgentes partes, Gemma scilicet, & insignis radicis Conus, &c. Malpig. ib. p. 81. vid. plura in tract. de Seminum veget. p. 14. & passim.
In Malpighi’s Life, a Debate may be seen between him and Seign. Triumphetti, the Provost of the Garden at Rome, whether the whole Plant be actually in the Seed. The Affirmative is maintained by Malpighi, with cogent Arguments; among which, this is one; Non præoccupatâ mente, oculis microscopio armatis, lustret quæso Phaseolorum, seminalem plantulam nondum satam, in quâ folia stabilia, hæcque ampla evidenter observabit; in eâdem pariter gemmam, nodos, seu implantationes varias foliorum caulis deprehendet. Caulem insignem fibris ligneis, & utriculorum seriebus constantem conspicuè attinget. And whereas S. Triumphetti had objected, that vegetatione, metamorphosi, inediâ plantas in alias degenerare, ut exemplo plurium [constat] præcipuè tritici in lolium, & lolii in triticum versi. In answer to this, (which is one of the strongest Arguments against Malpighi’s Assertion) Malpighi replies, Nondum certum est de integritate, & successu experimenti, nam facienti mihi, & amicis, tritici metamorphosis non cessit. Admissa tamen metamorphosi, quoniam hæc neglecta cultura, aut vitio soli, aut aëris contingit——ideo ex morboso & monstruoso affectu non licet inferre permanentem statum à Naturâ intentum. Observo plantas sylvestres culturâ varias reddi, &c. I have more largely taken notice of Malpighi’s Answer, because he therein shews his Opinion about the Transmutation of Vegetables. Vid. Malpig. Vit. p. 67.
So Mr. Lewenhoeck, after his nice Observations of an Orange-Kernel, which he made to germinate in his Pocket, &c. concludes, Thus we see, how small a Particle, no bigger than a course Sand (as the Plant is represented) is increased, &c. A plain Demonstration, that the Plant, and all belonging to it, was actually in the Seed, in the young Plant, its Body, Root, &c. Philos. Trans. Nᵒ. 287. See also Raii Cat. Cant. in Acer maj. from Dr. Highmore. But in all the Seeds which I have viewed, except the Maple, the Plant appears the plainest to the naked Eye, and also very elegant, in the Nux Vomica. Natura non observat magnitudinis proportionem inter semina & plantas ab iisdem ortas, ita ut majus semen majorem semper producat plantam, minus minorem. Sunt enim in genere herbarum non pauca, quarum semina arborum nonnullarum seminibus non dico æqualia sunt, sed multo majora. Sic v.g. Semina Fabæ, &c. semina Ulmi, &c. multis vicibus magnitudine superant. Raii ubi suprà, L. 1. c. 13.
Filicem reliquasque Capillares herbas Semine carere Veteres plerique——prodidere; quos etiam secuti sunt è Recentioribus nonnulli, Dodonæus, &c.——Alii è contrà, Bauhinus, &c. Filices & congeneres spermatophoras esse contendunt: Partim quia Historia Creationis, Genes. ii. 12. &c.——Hanc sententiam verissimam esse——autopsia convincit. Fredericus Cæsius, he saith, was the first that discovered these Seeds with the Help of a Microscope. And since him, Mr. W. C. hath more critically observed them. Among other Things observed by that ingenious Gent. are these, Pixidulæ seu capsulæ semina continentes in plerisque hoc genus plantis perquam exili granulo arenæ vulgaris cinereæ plus duplo minores sunt; imò in nonnullis speciebus vix tertiam quartamve arenulæ partem magnitudine æquant, vesicularum quarundam annulis aut fasciolis vermiformibus obvolutarum speciem exhibentes. Nonnulle ex his vesiculis 100 circiter semina continere deprehendebantur.——adeò eximiâ parvitate ut nudo oculo prorsus essent invisibilia, nec nisi microscopii interventu detegi possent.——Osmunda Regalis, quæ aliis omnibus Filicis speciebus mole——antecellit——vascula seminalia obtinet æquè cum reliquis congeneribus magnitudinis——quorum immensa & visum fugiens parvitas cum magnitudine plantæ collata——adeò nullam gerere proportionem invenietur, ut tantam plantam è tantillo semine produci attentum observatarem meritò in admirationem rapiat. Ray, ibid. L. 3. pag. 132. This W. C. was Mr. Wil. Cole, as he owneth in a Letter I have now in my Hands of his to Mr. Ray, of Octob. 18, 1684.
[k] Vegetantium genus, ut debitam magnitudinem sortiatur, & suæ mortalitatis jacturam sucessivâ prolis eductione reparet, statis temporibus novas promit partes, ut tandem emergentes Uteri, recentes edant Soboles. Emanantes igitur a caule, caudice, ramis, & radicibus novellæ hujusmodi partes, non illico laxatæ extenduntur, sed compendio quodam coagmentatæ intra folii axillam cubantes, non parum subsistunst, Gemmæ appellantur, &c. And then that great Man goes on to shew the admirable various Methods of Nature, in repositing in that little Compass, so large a Part of a Tree or Plant, the curious Structure of the Gems, the admirable Guard afforded them, and the Leaves, Flowers and Seed contained in them, &c. Of which having taken Notice before, I pass over it now, and only refer to our Author Malpighi, and Dr. Grew, in the Places cited in [Note (f) and (g).]
[l] Of Bulbous, and a great many more, probably of the far greater Number of Perennial Roots of Herbs, as Arum, Rape-Crowfoot, &c. it is very observable, that their Root is annually renewed, or repaired out of the Trunk or Stalk it self. That is to say, the Basis of the Stalk continually, and by insensible Degrees descending below the Surface of the Earth, and hiding it self therein, is thus both in Nature, Place and Office, changed into a true Root.——So in Brownwort, the Basis of the Stalk sinking down by Degrees, till it lies under Ground, becomes the upper Part of the Root; and continuing still to sink, the next Year becomes the lower Part: And the next after that, rots away; a new Addition being still yearly made out of the Stalk, as the elder Parts yearly rot away. Grew. ibid. L. 2. pag. 59. ubi plura vid.
[m] How safe and agreeable a Conservatory the Earth is to Vegetables, more than any other, is manifest from their rotting, drying, or being rendred infecund in the Waters, or the Air; but in the Earth their Vigour is long preserved. Thus Seeds particularly, Mr. Ray thinks some, may probably retain their Fecundity for ten Years, and others lose it in five; but, saith he, In terræ gremio latitantia, quamvis tot caloris, frigoris, humoris & siccitatis varietatibus ibidem obnoxia, diutiùs tamen (ut puto) fertilitatem suam tuentur quàm ab hominibus diligentissimè custodita; nam & ego & alii ante me multi observârunt Sinapeos vim magnam enatam in aggeribus fossarum recèns factis inque areis gramineis effossis, ubi post hominum memoriam nulla unquam Sinapeos seges succreverat. Quam tamen non spontè ortam suspicor, sed è seminibus in terra per tot annos resuduis etiam prolificis. Ray. Hist. Pl. L. 1. C. 13.