This paper concernes with a part of the result obtained in the investigation carried on in order to study the fertility in
Petunia violacea from the physiological point view. The first thing done was to compare the effects of the pollination within the same flower (self-pollination) and that between different flowers on the same individual (neighbour-pollination).
It is found out that the materials used have different power in self fertility. The cause of this difference may rather be due to the physiological action than the abnormality in the pollen or the egg cells, for both of them are functional with their complemental ones in other individual.
Shortly before the opening of the flower it is ringed with the fine wire so that it would not get any pollen from other flowers. When the flower were open some of them were self pollinated while others neighbour pollinated. Pollen grains in one anther were all used for each pollination in every case, and the excessive stamens were taken off.
The percentage of the flowers fertilized in different individuals and the period from the pollination to the withering of each flower (flower life) were compared, and in the case where the fertilization was unsuccessful, the length and diameter of such ovaries were measured at their maximum growth. But in the case of the successful fertilization, the length and diameter of each capsule, and also the number and the weight of the seeds were measured in addition to the comparisons of the germinating percentage of the seeds and the length of the seedlings.
The results of these experiments may be summarised as follows:-(the neighbour pollination when compared with the self pollination, )
1, the fertilization was more successful;
2, the life of the flowers was shorter;
3, the unfertilized ovaries were much more larger;
4, the capsules of the fertilized ovaries were larger;
5, such capsules contained a larger number of seeds;
6, the seeds were larger and heavier;
7, the seedlings of these seeds were larger.
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