RECORD: Darwin, C. R. [1867].08.25-1868. Salvia coccinea (2 plants). CUL-DAR79.28-29. (John van Wyhe ed., 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online, http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
REVISION HISTORY: Transcribed by Christine Chua and John van Wyhe, edited by John van Wyhe 3.2023. RN2
NOTE: See record in the Darwin Online manuscript catalogue, enter its Identifier here. Reproduced with permission of the Syndics of Cambridge University Library and William Huxley Darwin. The volumes CUL-DAR 76-79 contain material for Darwin's book Cross and self fertilisation (1876).
(47 & 48
Salvia coccinea (2 Plants)
20 flowers crossed. 26 self-fert. own flower pollen.
(Aug. 25 (A Some plants under net has set spontaneously a good many seed.) of which 76 98 calyces pods were gathered, yielding average of of 1.45 [x] 2 [=] 2.90 seed; this is less than half average of flowers artificially self-fertilised, which shows that fertilisation was well effected.
The 20 crossed flowers yielded 18 pods. ie 90 per cent.
The 26 self-fert. flower [do] 23 pods ie 88 per cent —
The 18 crossed pods no pods contained 57 seed ie average of 3.17
The 23 self pods contained 76 seed ie [do] of 3.30.
So that the self the most fertile!
The 57 crossed seed weighed 1.51 gr ∴ 76 seed wd weight 2.05 gr
The 76 self seed weighed 1.99 gr.
Hence equal numbers of self- seed weighed 97 per cent of crossed seed.
Hence crossed have very slight advantage in number of capsules set & in weight of seed, but a disadvantage in average number produced
(May 24 /68/ Plants about 3 inches to tip of stem, & crossed seem to have slight advantage.)
(July 6' 68 — Plants 2/3 grown) — Two Highest plants, measured on each side
Aug 23 Flowers almost all withered & producing seed
Pot |
Crossed |
Self |
Crossed |
Self |
I |
20 1/2 |
12 1/2 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
|
9 |
10 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
II |
22 1/4 |
13 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
|
15 |
12 1/2 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
III. |
16 1/2 |
14 1/2 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
|
15 |
8 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
|
98 1/4 |
70 1/2 |
[excised] |
[excised] |
(In all 3 Pots the Crossed flowered first.)
(All the crossed pl. produced 409 flowers. All the self plants produced only 232 flowers.—)
[47v]
6 [+] 6 [+] 4 [+] 4
6/8 [+] 3/8 [+] 4/8 [+] 4/8 [=] 1/8
6/8 [+] 6/8 [+] 4
47 and 48
98.25 [÷] 6 [=] 16.37 Average 70.5 [÷] 6 [=] 11.75 Average
167.125 [÷] 6 [=] 27.85 Average 127 [÷] 6 [=] 17.83 Average
127 [÷] 6 [=] 21.16 do
Citation: John van Wyhe, ed. 2002-. The Complete Work of Charles Darwin Online. (http://darwin-online.org.uk/)
File last updated 15 December, 2025