Ill) 



FERTILIZATION AND FORMATION OF FHflT IX PJIAXKUoi; \MS. 



The ovules of both Abietineae and Cupressinea- .-ire inserted upon seal's of vary- 

 ing form, the insertion of which on the axis of the cone may be broad or narrow (cf. 

 figs. 335 7 - 8 ' 9 and 337 8 '*' 6 ). These scales Form an important constituent of the ripe 

 cone, and are known as the ovuliferous scales. In not a few cases, as in the Silver 

 Fir (Abies pectinata, figs. 335 ' ' ■■- ' ) and Larch (Leuna, figs. 335 s and 337 1 ), there 

 exists a second scale, the bract scale, beneath eaeli ovuliferous scale, and subtending 

 the same. In the Pine, also, both scales are present, though in the ripe cone there 

 are no signs of the bract-scales at the exterior owing to the fact that they become 

 entirely overgrown and embedded between the hie- ovuliferous scales. 



In the Ahietine.-e the scales of the cones are inserted in a continuous spiral (cf. 

 fig. 335 \ and vol. i. p. 403, fig. 101), whilst in Cupressinese the scales are inserted in 

 whorls of 2 or 3 scales each (cf. figs. 336 8 > 7 and 337 3 ' 5 ). In both, the margins of 



Fig. 334. — The Lotus Lily (JfeluwJbium specioswny. 



i Flower from which the perianth-leaves have heen removed ; expanded receptacle in centre. 2 Longitudinal section through 

 the top-shaped enlargement of the receptacle, showing three carpels embedded in their sockets. (After Baillon.) 



the scales overlap, and the seeds are ripened in the slit-like chinks between them 

 (cf. 336 6 and 337 s ). The whole assemblage of scales constitutes an aggregate fruit, 

 and is known as a cone. The scales may be hard and woody, when we have a 

 woody cone (335 ' and 337 1 ' 2 ' 5 ); or they may be succulent, giving a fleshy cone. 

 In such fleshy cones very few of the whorls are succulent, the central axis is very 

 short, and the whole structure has much the appearance of a berry, as in the 

 Juniper (Juniperus communis, figs. 336 ' and 336 8 ). 



The section of Gymnosperms known as the Taxinese do not produce cones. 

 Their seeds arise alone or in pairs at the ends of special short branches, or upon the 

 surface of small fruit-scales. The plum-like seeds of the Maidenhair Tree (Gingko 

 biloba) are arranged in pairs at the ends of axes which resemble cherry-stalks (see 

 fig. 337 7 ). The seeds of the Yew (Taxus baccata) occur at the tips of little scale- 

 bearing shoots, and when ripe are almost completely enveloped in a sweet, fleshy, 

 crimson tissue (see figs. 336 1 ' 4,6 ). This fleshy inclosure, which arises as a circular 

 cushion from the place of insertion of the ovule, is not of the nature of a carpel, it 



