CHAP. XII.] TAXINE^. 229 



The catkins of the male flowers consist of a 

 number of scales, out of which the anthers grow 

 like a cluster of primroses, as shown, magnified, 

 'va.fig. 101 at a. The female flowers somewhat 

 resemble those of the Juniper ; the ovary being 

 enveloped in scales (Z>), from which it gradually 

 emerges as it swells (c), till at last, when ripe 

 (c?), it opens at the top, and displays the ripe 

 nut enveloped in a red juicy cup. The wood of 

 the Yew is remarkably tough, and the growth 

 of the plant is very slow. 



To these may be added the very singular 

 plants comprised in the order Cycadacese, which 

 are on the debatable ground between the exoge- 

 nous and endogenous plants. They bear cones 

 like the pines and firs, but in their leaves, and the 

 manner in which they unroll them, they resemble 

 the ferns, and in the outside of their stems the 

 palms ; while from the wood being in concentric 

 circles, they must be classed among the Exogens. 

 It would be unsuitable to a work like this to enter 

 into any of the discussions of botanists respecting 

 these curious plants ; it may be sufficient here 

 to say that they are considered to be trees, the 

 central cylindrical part being called the trunk ; 

 the soft pith in which, in some of the kinds of 

 Cycas, is manufactured into a spurious sort of 

 sago. The roughness on the stem arises from 

 the remains of the footstalks of old leaves. The 



