In several species of Solanum L. two forms of flower are noticeable in each inflorescence. In one form, the style is long and distinctly exserted; in the other, it is short and included within the conically connivent anthers, so that it is not visible from outside in an open flower. To this kind of difference in style length the term stylar heteromorphism has been applied here, just to distinguish it from heterostyly in the traditional sense. The phenomenon does not seem to have received much attention from botanists so far, and consequently rather little is known about its biological significance and possible evolutionary importance. The present report consists mainly of some observations made on stylar heteromorphism in one of these species, Solanum torvum, a shrubby weed widely distributed in the humid tropics.

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Effects of three major mineral nutrient elements, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, on sex expression in Luffa cy6ndrica (L.) Roem were investigated in relation to nodal location of the first male and the first female flower on the plant as well as the ratio of the male-female flowers, otherwise known as "sex ratio".Potassium-containing nutrient treatments (K, NK & PK) reduced the mean node number of the first staminate inflorescence but did not change the mean node number of the first pistillate flower. These treatments promoted staminate flowering and caused a shift towards maleness while nitrogen-and phosphorouscontaining nutrient treatments (N, P, NP & NPK) promoted pistillate flowering and reduced staminate flowering, causing a shift towards femaleness. These results are explained in terms of hormonal balance in the plant. The possible role of mineral nutrients in hormonal balance and thereby in sex expression is discussed.