38 MESSRS. NEWELL ARBER AND J. PARKIN ON 
other words, the protective office, which in the strobili of many Pteridophyta 
is performed by the aggregate of the fertile sporophylls themselves es, is, in the 
anthostrobilus, localised towards the base of the cone, and performed by 
sterile members. In order to bring out more clearly the essential features of 
the anthostrobilus, we may compare it briefly with a heterosporous cone of an 
ancient type, such as that of Lepidodendron Hibbertianus, Binney *, from the 
Lower Carboniferous of Scotland. 
L. Hibbertianus, Binn. Anthostrobilus. 
Elongated axis cylindrical. more or less conical. 
Megasporophylls basally as regards apically as regards 
situated the microsporophylls. the microsporophylls. 
Protective function distal extremities of sterile, basal, leaf-like 
performed by both types of fertile organs. 
sporophylls. 
ExcLER's THEORY. 
The Strobilus Theory of the nature of the typical Angiospermous flower is 
not by any means a new one f, though it differs in toto from that generally 
accepted by systematists at the present time. According to current notions, 
widely but not universally adhered to, the primitive type of Angiospermous 
fructification is to be sought for among the unisexual Apetale, which, on our 
view, are forms reduced from amphisporangiate strobili, in each case possessing 
a perianth. 
This prevailing opinion, for which Engler 1 is largely responsible, has been 
too readily accepted § as a self-apparent axiom, before careful examination of 
its truth has been made. 
In a recent authoritative discussion of this question, Coulter and 
Chamberlain || state that as a consequence of the now “ discarded doctrine of 
metamorphosis . . .. it has been a very prevalent conception, therefore, that 
flowers of simpler structure than the assumed type are reduced forms. There 
are certain cases in which this seems clear.... but the vast major ity of 
simpler flowers are better regarded as primitive than as reduced forms.” 
On the other hand there have not been wanting others 4, especially Hallier ** 
* See Scott (1900) p. 162, fig. 65. 
t Coulter & Chamberlain (1904) pp. 9 & 10. 
f Engler (1897) p. 358. $ Chamberlain (1897). 
|| Coulter & Chamberlain (1904) p. 10. 
{| Henslow (1893!) p. 485; Čelakovský (1897). 
** Hallier (1901', 1901?, 1903, 1905). 
