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ХІ. Contributions to the Embryology of the Amentiferee.—Part І. Ву MARGARET 
Bensox, B.Sc., Marion Kennedy Student, Newnham College, Cambridge. (From 
the Botanical Laboratories of University College, London, and of the University 
of Cambridge.) (Communicated by Prof. Е. W. ОттуЕЕ, M.A., D.Sc., F.L.S.) 
(Plates LXVIL-LXXIL) о 
Read 15th June, 1893. 
IN November 1891 Professor Е. W. Oliver suggested that I should investigate the 
embryology of the British Атеп еге. Не had on several occasions expressed his regret 
that such an interesting group of plants should be comparatively neglected by the botanist, 
and on the appearance of Treub's magnificent treatise оп Casuarina * the need became 
more urgent. "Тһе work has been throughout conducted under his guidance, although it . 
has been latterly carried on in a Research room kindly allotted to me in the University 
Botanical Laboratory, Cambridge, by Mr. F. Darwin. 
Тһе onerous nature of the investigation will be understood if one recalls the long list 
of genera which are grouped together under the somewhat elastic term Amentifere, 
which I will use in the present paper as including the Cupuliferee, Corylez, Betulinez, 
Juglandace:e, and Salicineee. T T т 
There was little material in hand; but during the spring and summer of 1892 I 
collected complete series of the female flowers of representative species of eleven genera, 
and of many I have been at no little trouble to obtain parallel series of different species. 
The flowers were always preserved in absolute alcohol, although occasionally in рістіс 
or chromic acid also. There is but little literature to guide one as to the date of the 
important stages, even if such particulars could be of much use in a climate like ours ; and 
the styles having withered often for months, the result was that very frequent gatherings 
had to be made long before the actual processes occurred which were sought. Fortunately 
it is tolerably easy to obtain good results by the examination of fresh material, although 
in the most critical periods the difficulty was increased by the large number of ovules 
that normally abort, for repeated preparations had to be made before one could rely on 
the ovules being such as were continuing their development. The result has been that, 
although over two hundred bottles of material were collected, and unremitting attention 
was given from March until September, I am still obliged to rely on this year’s material 
(2. е. 1893) for a stage of development in two or three cases. Lastly, the flowers belonging, 
for the most part, to our forest trees, which bear their fruit chiefly on their upper branches, 
was another serious impediment to the proper progress of this research. 
I adduce these particulars merely to explain the great length of time that has elapsed 
since the task was undertaken, and as some apology for the fragmentary nature of this 
first instalment of my results. 
* М. Treub, “ Sur les Casuarinées et leur place dans le Systéme Naturel,” Ann. du Jard. Bot. de Buitenzorg, x. 
рр. 145-231, s 
SECOND SERIES.—BOTA NY, VOL. III. зм 
