(1

Oct 18th 1879. Marchantia — N-E window – slightly inclined frond with 2 Sights. — covered with Bell-glass [observed] in intervals [sketch]

[data not transcribed]

[233v]

363

Ch VIII Concluding R

proportion of them than of other ordinary plants bury their capsules young ovaries in the ground;─ an action, which it may be presumed, serves for to protect them from being devoured by birds or other enemies though this gain. But this advantage is accompanied with by the loss of the power of wide dissemination. No less than eight of the genera in the list at the be beginning of this chapter include species which act in this manner, namely, several kinds of Viola, Oxalis, Vandellia, Linaria, Commelina, & at least three genera of Leguminosæ. The seeds also of Leersia, though not buried, are concealed in the most perfect manner within the sheaths of the leaves. The facilities

[The text of the draft corresponds to pp. 338-9.]

 

[bottom of page excised]

(2

Marchantia

Plant kept dark under Bell-glass

[data not transcribed]

[235]

(a) text: lead on p. 338

The most irregular fact about the present species is that the long-styled plants produce long-styled cleistogamic flowers, & the mid-styled as well as the short-styled cleistogamic flowers of the corresponding forms; so that there are three kinds of cleistogamic & three kinds of perfect flowers produced by this one species! Most of the heterostyled species of Oxalis are more or less sterile, many absolutely so, when if illegitimately fertilised with their own-form pollen. It is therefore almost certain probable that the pollen of the cleistogamic flowers must have has been modified in power, so as to act on their own stigmas, for they yield an abundance of seeds.

We may perhaps account for the cleistogamic flowers consisting of the three forms, through the

(3

Marchantia

[data not transcribed]

[235v]

[Proof sheet of Cross and self fertilisation, p. 134, published p. 265.]