THE ORIGIN OF ANGIOSPERMS. 57 
anted out, this strobilus is really amphisporangiate, a fact which 
Bt then recognised. In this later communication, Wieland calls attention 
"© the resemblance of this fructification to that of the Angiosperms on the 
one hand, and to that of the Cycadofilices on the other. 
Dr. Scott, in his “Studies in Fossil Botany’ *, sums up the views with 
regard to the homologies of the Bennettitean cone. He says, “that the axis 
of the inflorescence is a modified branch of the stem is clear, the enveloping 
bracts are obviously modified leaves or leaf-bases (В. Morierei), and likewise 
present no difficulty. We might well compare them to the scale-leaves, in 
which the young cone of an ordinary Cycad is enwrapped.” With regard to 
the seed-pedicels and interseminal scales, “the simplest view, then, would be 
to regard them as modified leaves, the fertile pedicels being the sporophylls, 
and the interseminal scales representing either abortive sporophylls or a 
special kind of bract. But we might also interpret both organs as reduced 
shoots, or might limit this view to the seed-pedicels, continuing to regard the 
interseminal scales as bracts, comparable to the paleae found among the florets 
on the receptacle of some Composite.” 
It must be remembered that, when these views were expressed, our know- 
ledge of the Веппе {ег was much less advanced than it is at the present 
time, thanks to the researches of Wieland. 
In a later paper, Lignier + adheres to his interpretation of the nature of 
the female strobilus of the Bennettiteze, mentioned above, and discusses the 
morphological value of the cone of Bennettites (Cycadeoidea) ingens. He 
suggests that the male portion may be of the nature of a flower, that is to 
say, composed of staminiferous fronds borne on the main axis, though the 
female is an inflorescence. He also criticises Wieland’s comparison of this 
strobilus with that of the Cycadeæ and Angiosperms. Не appears to derive 
the latter from the Cordaitales t. In a later note the same author $ discusses 
the morphology of the interseminal scales. 
We now pass to consider the interpretation given by Wieland, who alone 
has so far had before him the complete evidence of the strobili of the 
American Bennettitese. That author || describes the amphisporangiate axis as 
a flower homologous with ! 1at of an Angiosperm. He speaks of it as follows :— 
* The flower or strobilus a.: thus borne on a short and heavy peduncle consists 
in a terminal ovulate cone surrounded by an hypogynous staminate disc and 
an outer series of enveloping bracts, followed by the old leaf-bases of the 
armor" є. Comparing this cone with the flower of the Angiosperms, the 
same author** concludes :—“It appears that organization into a dise 
* Scott (1900) pp. 475-76. + Lignier (1903!) p. 44. 
і Lignier (1903) diagram on р. 49. $ Lignier (1904). 
|| Wieland (1906) Chapter VII. & p. 143. 
*| Wieland (1906) p. 165, also p. 235. ** Wieland (1906) p. 230, also p. 79. 
