Da die Glieder der ersten Generation unmittelbar aus den Samen der Hybriden hervorgehen, wird es nun ersichtlich, dass die Hybriden je zweier differirender Merkmale Samen bilden, von denen die eine Hälfte wieder die Hybridform entwickelt, während die andere Pflanzen gibt, welche constant bleiben, und zu gleichen Theilen den dominirenden und recessiven Character erhalten.
Since the members of the first generation originate directly from the seeds of the hybrids, it now becomes evident that hybrids of two respective differing traits form seeds of which one half develops again the hybrid form while the other gives rise to plants which remain constant and receive the dominating and recessive character in equal parts.
Although Mendel does not use the term “law” here and presents his conclusion in terms of “constant” and “hybrid” forms, hence making no clear reference to underlying genetic factors, this sentence comes close to what contemporary geneticists would call the “law of segregation”. At the beginning of Section 8, p. 18, s. 7, he may be referring to this statement as a “developmental law”. That he highlights it through spacing, and the fact that he repeats it on p. 23, s. 10, in a first summary of his experimental results, indicates this statement’s special significance.
first generation = ersten Generation Refers to what we would call F2 today (see p. 12, s. 3).
hybrid form = Hybridform See p. 15, s. 7.
constant = constante See p. 5, s. 5.
two respective differing traits = je zweier differirender Merkmale See p. 7, s. 3.
dominating = dominirende See p. 10, s. 14.
recessive = recessiven See p. 10, s. 14.
characteristic = Character See p. 7, s. 8.