A second
paper, to which I presently refer 'On the Hybrid-like Nature of the
Offspring from the Illegitimate Unions of Dimorphic and Trimorphic
Plants' was published in volume 10 1867 page 393 of the same journal.)
For complete fertilisation it is necessary that pollen from the one form
should be applied to the stigma of the other form; and this is effected
under nature by insects. Such unions, and the seedlings raised from
them, I have called legitimate. If one form is fertilised with pollen
from the same form, the full complement of seed is not produced; and in
the case of some heterostyled genera no seed at all is produced. Such
unions, and the seedlings raised from them, I have called illegitimate.
These seedlings are often dwarfed and more or less sterile, like
hybrids. I possessed some long-styled plants of Primula veris, which
during four successive generations had been produced from illegitimate
unions between long-styled plants; they were, moreover, in some degree
inter-related, and had been subjected all the time to similar conditions
in pots in the greenhouse. As long as they were cultivated in this
manner, they grew well and were healthy and fertile. Their fertility
even increased in the later generations, as if they were becoming
habituated to illegitimate fertilisation. Plants of the first
illegitimate generation when taken from the greenhouse and planted in
moderately good soil out of doors grew well and were healthy; but when
those of the two last illegitimate generations were thus treated they
became excessively sterile and dwarfed, and remained so during the
following year, by which time they ought to have become accustomed to
growing out of doors, so that they must have possessed a weak
constitution.
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