58 MESSRS. NEWELL ARBER AND J. PARKIN ON` 
preceded by spirally arranged bracts with the subsequent prolonga 7 
main floral axis, either as that of а simple terminal cone (or an infloresc? 
is, in later geological time, mainly an angiospermous juxtaposition, althoug:. 
it may yet prove that its seemingly isolated occurrence in gymnosperms is 
largely due to an imperfectly known and understood fossil record." 
Discussing the evolution of the Bennettitez, contrasted with the Cycads, 
he says *:—* In the one case the much greater change went on in the mega- 
sporophylls, and there was evolved a form of true flower exactly suggestive 
of the types of change in reproductive organs that resulted in the angiosperms. 
In the other" [the Cycads] * both types of sporophylls were seized upon and 
carried forward through the same stages of reduction, save for that single, 
wonderful, and marvelous survival from the Paleozoic, that analogue of the 
staminate frond, the carpophyll of Сусаз.” 
The present Interpretation of the Fructification of the Bennettitem. 
Having briefly reviewed previous opinions as to the homologies of the 
Bennettitean cone, we may pass on to state our own interpretation, 
which differs considerably from nearly all those previously advocated. 
According to our view, this cone is a simple strobilus, and not an inflor- 
escence. Its parts are homologous with the carpels, stamens, and perianth of 
a typical, amphisporangiate, Angiospermous flower. In other words, the simple 
cone of the Веппе фе» is an anthostrobilus (see p. 37), differing from the 
anthostrobilus of the Angiosperm in several important features, especially 
in the presence of a seminal pollen-collecting mechanism, and in the form of 
the microsporophylls. Such a fructification may be distinguished as a 
pro-anthostrobilus (p. 37). 
It will readily be seen that this interpretation has all the merit of simplicity. 
Yet, like most theories, it has certain difficulties peculiar to itself, which will 
be discussed here. We propose to show that it is possible to institute a very 
close comparison between the eu-anthostrobilus of the Angiosperm and the 
pro-anthostrobilus of the Bennettiteze. Further, the agreement between these 
two types of anthostrobili is so close that the conclusion that the Angiosperms 
sprang from Mesozoic ancestors, nearly related to the Bennettitex, is 
rendered extremely probable. 
On the view that the pro-anthostrobilus is a simple cone, the term “ bract " 
сап no longer be applied to the outer, enveloping, foliar organs. On our 
interpretation, these constitute a primitive perianth, and are of the nature of 
sterile leaf-members. The male organs, the 10-20 bipinnate, Marattiaceous- 
like fronds, are collectively homologous with the androecium of the Angio- 
sperms, the stamens of the latter being derived from them by reduction. 
The position of the microsporophylls on the axis, with regard to the other 
* "Wieland (1900) p. 66. 
