The sex forms of species in the flora of the south-west of Western Australia

Abstract

The sex form of each species in the flora of the south-west of Western Australia was determined, and the proportions of the different forms compared with data available for South Australia. Although the western flora has been substantially isolated since at least the mid Tertiary, no significant difference in the proportion of hermaphrodite species from that of South Australia was found. A re-analysis of the sex forms of the flora of the British Isles was also made, and it was found that this flora has a higher proportion of non-hermaphrodite species than has either Western Australia or South Australia. The possible evolutionary significance of these observations is discussed.