258 
integument being fused together to half way the height 
of the former. 
The greater part of the integument is formed by a 
large sarcotesta, composed of great parenchymatous cells, 
among which a lot of mucilage canals are scattered. Out- 
side it is lined by a well defined epidermis. 
The stony layer, though very hard is thin and in it 
three layers may be distinguished. Of the middle one the 
sclerenchymatous cells are stretched in a horizontal plane, 
whereas the inner and outer one have cells with a more 
vertical orientation. 
At the innermost side the sclerotesta is lined by the 
endotesta, composed of a few layers of cells, which are 
collapsed in a ripe seed and then form a brown papery 
membrane, adhering to the stony coat. 
The nucellar tissue is quite distinct from that forming 
the integument and is covered in its free part by a rather 
solid membrane, forming in its upper part a large cone 
in which the pollenchamber is developed, the beak of 
which points into the cavity below the micropylar tube. 
Within the sarcotesta no vascular bundles are to be 
observed, which is a point of difference to the Cycads. 
According to Caruthers (31) two vascular bundles 
are present in the endotesta, coming up through a 
little gap in the stony coat, running along the inner 
surface and ending at the level of separation of nucellus 
and integument. 
Different authors among whom Eichler (64) Seward 
and Gowan (136) describe the micropyle to end into 
two or three slips. As this reminds us strongly of 
what we have seen already in the pteridospermous and 
cycadean seeds, the investigation of these slips might 
perhaps throw light on the origin of the integument. In 
superficial examination sometimes we see lobes around the 
micropyle but mostly it proves to be round or oval. 
