Charles Darwin
The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species
"The Different Forms of Flowers on Plants of the Same Species" by Charles Darwin is a botanical study published in 1877. Darwin investigates why certain plants produce flowers with distinctly different structures—some with long stamens and short styles, others reversed. Through meticulous experiments with primroses, cowslips, and loosestrifes, he uncovers an elegant natural system where these variations ensure cross-pollination by insects, maximizing fertility. This work reveals nature's hidden architecture, demonstrating how seemingly minor differences serve crucial evolutionary purposes in plant reproduction and survival.