





ANATOMY, AND LIFE-HISTOBr OF THE CONIFEILE. 



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uppermost scales were thickened at the base, the thickened por- 

 tion bearing 2-5 erect ovules ; but in other instances this 

 thickened portion was wanting, and the ovule was borne at the 

 end of a little stalk in the axil of the bract, or springing from 

 its base. This was the case with the one scale just mentioned, 

 which bore a single anther-lobe on its dorsal surface and a stalked 

 erect ovule from the base of its inner surface without any trace 

 of the fruit-scale, unless the minute stalk supporting the ovule 

 be regarded as representing it. Unfortunately the minute 

 anatomy and disposition of the vascular system was not examined ; 

 but it is quite certain that the same scale produced anther and 

 stalk supporting the ovule, and that this scale was continuous 

 with the leaves. An interesting comparison may be instituted 

 between this case and the structure of Cunninghamia and of 

 Sciadopitys above referred to. 



In the instance recorded by Oersted the bracts of the female 

 cone of Picea nigra passed gradually into stamens, so that the 

 cone, which was of the ordinary character in its upper portion, 

 passed below into the condition of a male flower. In the axils of 

 some of these staminoid bracts what Oersted called " carpels " 

 were developed, consisting of two squamules of varying form, 

 whilst in the axils of the upper bracts the two squamules had 

 coalesced so as to form a large scale notched at the top, but 

 similar to a carpel. The same author described a cone of Picea 

 alba normal in character at the base, above which the bracts 

 gradually increased in size, while the " carpels," i. e. the fruit- 

 scales, diminished in size. 



In a male flower of Pinus rigida examined by myself in 1876 

 the lower portion was normal, consisting of stamens of the ordi- 

 nary character, but in the middle these were replaced by flat 

 scales. Some of these latter were sterile, while others had in the 

 axils rudimentary fruit-scales, and others again perfect fruit- 

 scales with inverted ovules. 



In Pinus Thunbergii I have met with simihir changes, the base 

 of the female cone occupied with stamens, continuous below with 

 bud-scales and passing above into bracts with a fruit-scale on the 

 inner surface (fig. 20, p. 314). 



A flower of the common Larch (Larix europcra) sent me by 

 Prof. Oliver showed the usual perular scales at the base investing 

 the stamina! column, the stamens were more or less phyllodic or 

 bract-like and occupied the lower half of the staminal columu, 

















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