[24]

Feb 7th 1862. Monochætum ensiferum Mr Turnbulls plant. – {Far more pollen in large crimson than in yellow anther - ???}

Fertilised 3 flowers with pollen of pale yellow anthers (sepal-faces) & tied with single black thread – next many refertilised then

(over)

Fertilised 4 flowers with pollen of crimson anther (petal-faces) & tied with single white thread. – next many refertilised then.

(N.B. I find if anther flirted under mimicry very fine pollen incoherent shot out by opening at extremity all about glass – This pollen must direct whole insect body, which afterwards rub against minute stigma. – I find that moving the projection to anther does not act, especially not with yellow anther, in which the projection is very weak. – The way to get pollen out to move anther itself backwards & forwards; & this, I suppose, indents the sides & forces out the

[26]

pollen, which is flirted about – So it in with both anthers. In young flowers the crimson anthers do not descent below pistil, in more mature flowers, they descend considerately below pistil –

Pistil comes straight out of corolla bending a little down & the very minute stigma bent rectangularly upwards. It is hard to know how insect act because, I know not position of nectary & of anther when mature; but I cannot conceive how yellow anther can shed pollen on insect, so as to be rubbed on the stigma, which must push against under side of Bee.

The crimson anthers would dust belly of Bee from length & position –

Feb 9th From movement of anthers I see some pollen get from crimson anther on the one stigma without aid.

I see that the young anthers whilst parallel to pistil, before point have descend, are open at [apicas] & eject pollen, when moved.

Feb 10th I fertilised 2 more flowers, white & black thread.

[26v]

(Probably I am quite wrong, the stigma requires fertilisation at 2 periods - & on my plan it gets only 1/2 required quantity but I shall know for I have put on pollen of both kinds at both periods of growth – No doubt under nature it would get double dose of pollen – whether each kind of pollen has different power or not. Each of the two applications would be, on my notice, form a distinct flower or distinct plant.

[in margin:] if so crimson probably first & best adapted to young pistil ∴ nearest anther most fertile!!!!

possibly mature at different periods.

[25]

"A remarkable difference in stamen & even colour of the stamen, which face the petals & sepals is characteristic of many Melastomaceae: on seeing this, the conviction occurred to me that so great a difference would be accompanied by functional difference. I first experiment on Heterocentron roseum, & find, --- but I shall leave the genus until further experiment have been tried. In Monochætum. – describe –

[25v]

Feb 19th fertilised 3 more flowers with pollen of larger crimson anther (white Thread) & 4 flowers with pollen of yellow anther

Black Thread –

Refertilised them the next morning so that now 8 white threads

--- 8 Black Threads ---à they all have indented

See other paper for drawings of flowers