DICOTYLEDONS 15/ 



which went to form our coal. As far as negative 

 evidence goes, no other flowering plants than 

 Gymnosperms existed in the so-called Carboni- 

 ferous age of the world. 



This group of plants is called Gymnosperms, 

 because the seeds are naked, having no enveloping 

 pistil or carpel at all. In the case of the Fir-tree, a 

 pair of ovules are attached to the base of a flat 

 scale ; in the Juniper, one ovule stands at the base 

 of a scale, and three together make by the partial 

 cohesion of the scales the so-called Juniper-berry. 

 In the Yew, which is dioecious, the male flowers 

 consist of a tuft of stamens, each having several 

 anthers radiating from the top of the filaments 

 (see left hand, Fig. 41). The female flower consists 

 of nothing but a single ovule, surrounded by bracts 

 resembling those around the stamens. 



When the ovule becomes a stony seed, there is 

 developed a scarlet cup around it (represented on 

 the bough in the figure). 



Yew {Taxus baccata^ Fig. 41) is classed among 

 the most dangerous of trees for cattle. It occasions 

 more accidents than others, because it has no 

 repelling scent nor flavour, as animals readily 

 browse upon its foliage, especially in winter when 

 they get too much dry food ; and it is the older 

 foliage which is the most harmful. 



The poisonous character of the Yew was known 

 to the ancients. Caesar, for example, mentions 



