Origanum vulgare.
This plant exists, according to H. Muller, under two forms; one
hermaphrodite and strongly proterandrous, so that it is almost certain
to be fertilised by pollen from another flower; the other form is
exclusively female, has a smaller corolla, and must of course be
fertilised by pollen from a distinct plant in order to yield any seeds.
The plants on which I experimented were hermaphrodites; they had been
cultivated for a long period as a pot-herb in my kitchen garden, and
were, like so many long-cultivated plants, extremely sterile. As I felt
doubtful about the specific name I sent specimens to Kew, and was
assured that the species was Origanum vulgare. My plants formed one
great clump, and had evidently spread from a single root by stolons. In
a strict sense, therefore, they all belonged to the same individual. My
object in experimenting on them was, firstly, to ascertain whether
crossing flowers borne by plants having distinct roots, but all derived
asexually from the same individual, would be in any respect more
advantageous than self-fertilisation; and, secondly, to raise for future
trial seedlings which would constitute really distinct individuals.
Several plants in the above clump were covered by a net, and about two
dozen seeds (many of which, however, were small and withered) were
obtained from the flowers thus spontaneously self-fertilised.
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