THE GYMNOSPERMAE : CYCADALES, ETC. 739 



Much discussion has centred round this structure, for its morphological 

 character is uncertain. It is usually referred to as the female " flower," but 

 objection has been raised to this on account of its dissimilarity to any other 



Ovuli- 

 ferous 

 shoot 



Fig. 742. — Ginkgo biloba. Branch bearing spurs with young leaves and 



ovTjIiferous shoots. 



{From a photograph by Mr E. Cahen!) 



flower type. The question, like many another, resolves itself largely into a 

 matter of definition and, in consequence, much curious dialectic has been 

 devoted to the attempt to analyse the botanical vocabulary. We shall have to 

 consider the morphological nature of the Angiospermic flower in a future 

 chapter, and it would be fruitless to go into it now. Furthermore the plan 

 of trying to fit the structures of lower plants into the framework of ideas 

 based upon higher plants has proved, again and again, to be wrong. Ginkgo 



