CLASS III. GYMNOSPERMS 



Ovules not enclosed in an ovary. More often than not several Is. appear together 

 when the seed germinates. The Is. which follow do not usually have a network of 

 branching veins. Families io8 and 109 are commonly known as Conifers, in which 

 the Is. are linear or awl-shaped, and the plants full of resin, but the typical woody 

 cone is not found in Taxaceae and Juniperus. 



Family 107. GNETACEAE. P2-4, A2-8, Gi 



EPHEDRA. Shrubby Horse-tail. Branchlets green, opposite or whorled, 

 slender, rush-like. Ls. distant, opposite or whorled, usually minute, united at 

 base, and often reduced to a mere sheath. Fls. small, yellow, unisexual, in small 

 racemes from joints. Fruit usually a berry. 



(a) Ls. minute, scale-like 



E. distachya. 4. Spreading mass of bright green cylindrical upright branches. 



Berry red. Europe and Asia Minor. (Fig. 37 j.) 

 E. Gerardiana {E. vulgaris). 2. Like above, but dwarfer. Not more than four 



fls. in male racemes. Himalaya. 



{b) Ls. awl-shaped 



E.foliata. 30. Climbing or prostrate. Ls. i. Berry red or whitish. Arabia, 



Persia, Turkestan. 

 E. trifurca. 3. Stems rigid, spiny. Ls. |. Fruit dry, with winged bracts. 



South United States. (Fig. 37 k.) 



Family 108. TAXACEAE 



Resinous plants with linear or scale-like Is. Fls. without perianth, unisexual, 

 sexes usually on different trees. Fruit fleshy, usually i -seeded. 



CEPHALOTAXUS. Main branches whorled in young trees; branchlets 

 opposite. Ls. alternate, linear, pointed, two broad grey bands below; usually in 

 two rows. Male fls. yellowish, in l.-axils on lower side of branch. Fruit i, egg- 

 shaped. 



C. drupacea. Cow's Tail Pine. 12. E. Ls. 2, abruptly pointed, directed 

 upwards forming a V-shaped trough. Fruit green. Japan. (Fig. 41 A.) 



Yariety fastigiata. Erect habit; Is. not in two rows. 

 Yzriety pedunculata. Ls. up to zh 



C. Fortunei. 20. E. Ls. 3, long-pointed, horizontal. Fruit brown. China. 

 (Fig. 41 B.) 



DACRYDIUM. Ls. scale-like, awl-shaped, or linear. Fruit a fleshy cup, 

 containing one seed. 



* D. cupressinum. 80. E. Branches long, thin, and drooping. Ls. of young 



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