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larger than those of the primary one and green through 
the existence of chlorophyl in their cells; the first pair 
of those bracts standing transversely to the fertile scale 
of the primary shoot. At the top of the secondary shoot 
between the uppermost scales the ovule develops. 
Whether the ovule is borne by one of the scales, 
functioning as megasporophyl, so that ist is a lateral 
structure, or it is standing terminal at the top of the 
axis, is an unsolved question, as the megasporophyl is not 
clearly to be distinguished. The morphological position 
has been much discussed by different authors, but I will 
not repeat their views here, a summary of them being 
lately given by Dupler (56). 
The ripe ovule consists of a thick, fleshy, red coloured 
arillus or cupule, surrounding a central part formed by 
the nucellus and the integument. In a young condition the 
arill is not yet to be seen, but about the time of pollination, 
the arill begins to develop as an annular wall round the 
base of the ovule. First it is green coloured and thin, but 
when the seed becomes mature it enlarges rapidly, forming 
a mass of large delicate walled, succulent cells, covered by 
a small-celled, pigmented epidermis, containing numerous 
stomata. 
Amongst a great many seeds Î examined, I found two, 
ot which this arill was split, thus giving the impression 
of being two lobes, fused at their base. The arillus in 
Taxus tardiva, also in the ripe condition, remains very 
short and appears to be a dishlike swelling at the base of 
the seed. 
The integument, being wholly free from the arillus, is 
composed of four layers: an outer very thin leathery 
membrane, a fleshy layer very thin too and a rather thick 
stony layer, at the innerside of which a papery membrane 
is to be seen. 
The thin fleshy layer covered by the leathery mem- 
