Nov., 1909.] The Gymnosperms of Ohio. 9 



some time to come. The two rare species, Botrychium simplex 

 and Botrychium neglectum, were past their prime. They prob- 

 ably begin to ripen their spores about the 15th of June. Time 

 prevented making a thorough study of the surroundings and 

 there may be other surprises in the future for the careful observer. 



THE GYMNOSPERMS OF OHIO. 



John H. Schaffner. 



Ohio lies south of the great northern conifer belt of North 

 America and since there are no mountains in the state, the 

 Gymnosperms do not constitute an important part of the flora. 

 There are but 11 speeies, one of which is probably accidental 

 and has been reported from but one county. The only species 

 of general distribution is the Red Juniper, but species of Pinus, 

 Picea, Abies, and other genera are quite commonly cultivated 

 in all parts of the state. 



Subkingdom, GYMNOSPERMAE. Gymnosperms. 500 



living species. 



Plants in which the sporophytes are woody perennials with 

 open carpels (megasporophylls) without a stigma, and hence 

 with naked ovules and seeds, the pollen (male gametophyte) 

 falling directly on the micropyle of the ovule (megasporangium) ; 

 flowers monosporangiate, usually developing as cones but some- 

 times very simple; female gametophyte with numerous cells 

 but without polar cells and thus without true endosperm as in 

 the Angiosperms ; male cells usually two, either nonmotile sperms 

 or developed as spirally coiled multiciliate spermatozoids. 



KEY TO THE NATIVE AND CULTIVATED GENERA. 



1. Foliage leaves needle-shaped, narrowly linear, subulate, or scale-like; 

 conifers, or in one case a dicotyl with delicate twigs and minxite 

 leaves 2 



1. Foliage leaves fan-shaped with dichotoniotis venation, a number on 



thick, wart-like, persistent dwarf branches Ginkgo. 



2. Without dwarf branches 4 



2. With typical dwarf branches, persistent for more than 1 year 3 



2. With feather-like dwarf branches, deciduous each year, the linear 



leaves spreading into 2 ranks Taxodium. 



2. With deHcate spray-like twigs decidtxous each year; leaves scale- 



like, minute; a dicotyl Tamarix. 



3. Dwarf branches small, self-pruned, with 2-5 foliage leaves. . . Pinus. 



3. Dwarf branches thick, wart-like, persistent, with numerous deciduous 



leaves Larix. 



4. Leaf buds scal}^ leaves scattered 5 



4. Leaf buds not scaly, naked ; leaves opposite or whorled 7 



5. Leaf scar on a sterigma, the twigs covered with scales representing 



the leaf bases 6 



5. Leaf scar on the bark; twigs without scales; leaves flat. Abies. 



6. Leaves flat, those on the upper side of the twig much shorter than 



the lateral ones; trees Tsuga. 



