THE ORIGIN OF ANGIOSPERMS. 59 
organs of the strobilus, is similar to that of the andreecium of a typical 
Angiospermous flower, and, with the exception of Welwitschia, is peculiar 
to this line of descent. The female organs consist of seeds, mounted 
on long pedicels, and interseminal scales. We regard the latter as homologous 
with the carpels of the Angiosperms, despite the fact that they subtend, and 
do not bear the seed-pedicels. The obvious difficulty which arises from this 
fact will be discussed later (р. 66). It is this feature, interpreted on the 
axioms of rigid morphology, which has hitherto biased opinion in favour of 
interpreting the ovulate portion of the pro-anthostrobilus as an inflorescence. 
On our view, the carpels of the Bennettitez are to a certain degree syncarpous, 
and this represents a stage in evolution antecedent, in this case, to the method 
of enclosing the seeds by the infolding of the carpels on themselves. We 
regard this feature especially as one in which the known Bennettitee depart 
from the direct line of descent of the Angiospermes. In their basal cohesion 
and cyclic arrangement, the male organs show a like early departure. 
We regard the fructifications of the Bennettiteze as having been essentially 
amphisporangiate, though we recognise the possibility that in this group, as in 
their descendants the Angiospermeze, there has been a strong and constant 
tendency to reduction to the monosporangiate condition, with the corollary of 
the monocious and diccious states. This view has been emphasized so 
admirably, and at such length by Wieland *, that it is unnecessary to do more 
than add the following quotation :—“ The condition in the great majority 
of the eones thus far examined is such that one is forced to the conclusion 
that all the known Cycadeoideæ are descended from bisporangiate forms, and 
that of all the considerable number of fruits of Cycadeoidea and Bennettites 
Gibsonianus or allied species, far the larger portion were actually bisporangiate 
and discophorous.” We may add, in discussing this point, that it must be 
remembered, that in the majority of the known cones of the Bennettitez, the 
fruits are more or less mature, and often possess a well-developed embryo. 
At such a stage the microsporophylls would most likely have died down, or, 
as Wieland expresses it, “ wilted,” or have been shed altogether, as that 
author has pointed out at some length. Remnants of the * hypogynous dise," 
formed by the basal cohesion of the 10-20 microsporophylls, usually remain 
as sole evidence of the amphisporangiate nature of the cone, except in some 
25 known cases, including Bennettites (Cycadeoidea) Jenneyana, Ward, 
В. (C. ingens, Ward, В. (C.) dacotensis, Ward, where these organs are 
preserved. Even in Williamsonia, such “discs” have been long known, 
though their precise nature has only recently been explained by Wieland's 
work. 
That the fructification of the Веппе {ее presents features recalling those 
of the Angiosperms has been already pointed out by previous authors. 
* Wieland (1906) p. 114, also pp. 130, 137, 169, 174, 184. 
