cuxic OF sela(!1m:li,.\ i'aludissima. 2.s; 



mono-stclio juid ribbt'ii-shapiil with two protoxylem irnmps, oiu' at each 

 t'lul. Further, acconliiiii to Syl<es and JStili-s tlio SiuUllu-Jike shapo of 

 Ujicro-sporaniiia also indicates the priniitiveness of the cone (ii). Then again, 

 the ' hi'inostachous' arrangi'ineiit of s[>orophyn8 also proves the same fact (vJ). 

 Thus it can be easily eoiicluded that -S. jic/fii/fi^uiKt is onu of the simplest of 

 the dorsiventral species of Scla'jinclla. Sterilization of iip]>er sporophylls, 

 however, seems to show that the cone is not so primitive as it otherwise 

 appears to be. Tiie line of sterilization in this species is qnite dill'erent 

 from that of other species. Sterilization in other species begins from the 

 base i>f the fertile branches and proeieds towards the apex ; but in S. 

 /la/liifisfimd sterilization takes place ni the sporophylls of the upper plane 

 only. In this connection it is interesting to note that Professor Kashyap 

 informs the writer that he in very rare eases actually found one or two 

 sporophylls of the upper surface having sporangia in their axils, forming 

 as it were an intermediate stage. As already pointed out, this kind of 

 sterilization is utilitarian, because it helps in the protection of sijorangia 

 besides preserving ' the balance between the spore producing and the 

 vegetative parts." This also explains the fact why the cone has a loose 

 nature and is much bigger than that of most of the other species. 



The peculiar arrangement for the protection of sporangia and specially 

 the absence of any dorsal flap in the sporophylls becomes interesting in 

 view of the assertion of Sykes and Stiles, who believe that the enfolding 

 of the sporangia by the associated sporophyJl is higher than the dorsal 

 flap arrangement (9). For this purpose the cones of the following species 

 were also examined to see the nature of dorsal flap in their sporophylls : — 



I. IJadial Cones — 



(a) S. spinosa,^.^. Aethog., has a very slight dorsal swelling. 



(//) >S. Emmclianci, Van Geert., and 'S'. viticulosa, Klot, have a slight 

 dorsal ridge (Fig. 7). 



(c) iV. sei-pens, Spr., has a better developed dorsal ridge with 

 lateral prominences (Fig. 8). 



{(1) S. Martensii. Spr., has better formed lateral projections on the 

 dorsal ridge. 



{e) S. krausnfina, A. Br. (Figs. 9 A: 10) has a very well formed 

 dorsal flap, with a depression in the middle and a promi- 

 nence at each side with a socket in each, in which the spor- 

 angium from below flts. The sporangium vertically below 

 the sporophyll tits in the middle depression. 



II. Dorsiventral Cones — 



(«) In S, chryxocaulos, Spr., the smaller sporophylls, that is those of the 

 lower plane, have a shallow depression at the base, and a big free dorsal 

 transverse wing, a little notched in the middle. The bigger sporophylls or 

 those of the upper plane are a little folded and have a long dorsal flap along 

 its long axis, as figured in Goebels 'Organography of Plants, ' Vol. 11, page 

 o07 {'•>). Besides, each has a transverse dorsal ridge prominent at one side, 

 namely, that underthe stem. This little projection takes part in protecting 

 the sporangium of the lower plane, situated just below the sporophyll. The 

 si)orangium is thus protected by the associated sporophyll, projecting from 

 the higher sporophyll of the upper plane, and the dorsal transverse flap of 

 the higher sporophyll, of the lower plane. 



{b) 8. c/i)-i/soir/iizos, Spr., has the same conditions in the sporophylls as 

 •S. chri/socaulo!' except that the upper sporophylls have a better formed dorsal 

 transverse ridge, and also that the lower sporophylls have a bigger dorsal 

 flaj) with no notch in the middle. 



It is interesting to note that according to Hieronymus these species 

 make an ascending series (7). Thus the series of the radial cones would be 



