BY THE REV. J. E. TENISON-WOODS, F.G.S., F.L.S. 141 



the branching of conifers presents a pinnate structure the principal 

 axis is always straight simple, never dichotomous, and the branch- 

 lets decrease gradually and regularly from the base to the summit. 

 In the first condition they are always simple, but when they branch 

 in their turn it is by axillary distichous branchlets which develop 

 themselves in turn in these branches of the second order as they 

 have done in the first instance. On the other hand whenever 

 species of Lycopodium or Selagenella appears to be pinnate from 

 the alternate inequality of the branches at the point of bifurca- 

 tion, this stem is in reality a Sympodium which is easily dis- 

 tinguished in the young state, or at its superior extremity by a 

 regular zig-zag outline whose re-entering and salient angles corre- 

 spond to the points of dichotomy. The absence of lateral buds in 

 Lycopods naturally excludes lateral or axillary branches. The 

 germ-like projections which are noticed in some species of Lyco- 

 podium and Selago, and which at first sight seem to resemble 

 lateral or axillary buds, are in fact enlargements which sometimes 

 take the place of spore-cases, of which they are probably the mor- 

 phological equivalents. The leaves of the two branches which 

 result from dichotomy are, in the case of Lycopods, homodromous, 

 or running in the same spiral direction ; whereas, in the case of 

 conifers they are antidromous, or run in the opposite direction to 

 the principal branch. Bearing these distinctions in mind I think 

 that some of our so-called conifers, which have been passed over 

 as imperfectly preserved specimens of Brachyphyllum are in reality 

 Lycopodites I am not at present in a position to describe any of 

 the specimens to which I refer. Some in my possession from the 

 Ipswich coalfields are too fragmentary for determination. I merely 

 record the fact of there being some doubtful evidence of Lycopodites 

 for future investigation. 



Order. Cycade^e. 



Flowers unisexual, without any perianth. Male flowers forming 

 catkins or cones, consisting of numerous spirally arranged 

 imbricated scales (or stamens), more or less cuneate, bearing on 

 the concealed portion of their under surface, numerous sessile or 



