6'. GNETACEJ£. [1. Gnetum. 



and 4-ranked, imbricate, those on the flatter faces rhomboid, on the 

 narrower faces oblong-ovate and rather blunt. Cones subglobose or 

 compressed pyriform on short lateral scaly branchlets, -4" long. 

 Scales usually 6 only, in decussate pairs, thick, umbonate, the umbo 

 developing from the enlarged seminiferous scale to which the thin 

 bract proper is adnate beneath. Two outer scales each with two 

 erect ovules, 2 next each with 2-1 ovules, 2 innermost barren. Ovules 

 somewhat 3-gonous. Seeds 2-3 only, brown ovoid or elongate-ovoid, 

 • 15" long, 3-angIed or subalate. 



The most commonly planted conifer in our area. Fl. March. Seed ripens 

 November the same year. 



3. CUPRESSUS, L. Cypress. 



Trees with the bark usually separating into long shred-like scales,, 

 wood often fragrant, branchlets slender, 4-a2igled. Leaves scale-like 

 ovate with slender spreading or appressed tips, thickened rounded 

 and often glandular on back, opposite and decussate. Fls. minute 

 monoecious, the two sexes on separate branchlets, male oblong of 

 many decussate stamens with broadly ovate blades or connectives 

 bearing 2-6 globose pendulose anther-cells. Fem. oblong or sub- 

 globose, with 6-10 thick decussate scales. Ovules numerous, bottle- 

 shaped, several-seriate at the base of the seminiferous scale. Fruit a 

 nearly globose cone maturing the second year, scales (seminiferous) 

 abruptly dilated and flattened at apex bearing the unenlarged flower- 

 scale as a short central more or less thickened mucro or boss. Seeds 

 many in many rows, acutely angled or compressed with thin lateral 

 wings. 



Several species of Cupressus have been introduced into gardens, especially in 

 the Northern Area and on the plateaux chiefly C. toridosa and C. semperrirens. 



FAM. 3. GNETACEiE. 



Woody plants without resin-canals, with vessels in the secondary 

 wood and with simple, large or scale-like, opposite leaves. Fls. 

 dioecious, monoecious or 2-sexual, with a simple tubular or 2-4-merous 

 perianth. Male with 2-8 stamens or pollen-sacs. Female with flask- 

 shaped perianth and erect orthotropous ovules with 1 or 2 integu- 

 ments. Seeds as in the Coniferse. Embryo always with 2 cotyledons. 



The three genera of the Gnetacece are so different, and as only Gnetum is likely 

 to be found either wild or in enltivation, the family has been very shortly dealt 

 with. The significance of the so-called perianth is doubtful. It may be an "integu- 

 ment of the nature of an arillus or it may represent an ovary open at the top. 



1. GNETUM, L. 



Climbing shrubs with opposite broad penninerved leaves on thick- 

 ened nodes. Fls. minute monoecious or dioecious, crowded in the 

 axils of annular cupular bracts on solitary or panicled spikes, mixed 

 with dense cellular hyaline hairs. M. perianth clavate in bud, the 

 apparently single stamen with 2 pollen-sacs breaking through it on 

 a long filament or column and opening by two terminal valves (two 

 anthers with transverse apical dehiscence according to some). Fem. 



1231 



