131 



anthers of many Cycadea, which must evidently be explained 

 in exactly the same way. 



In conclusion, M. Mohl endeavours to decide in a very in- 

 genious manner the question whether the male coniferous 

 amentum should be regarded as a flower or as an inflorescence. 

 The male amentum of the Conifer <z ? he observes, possesses only 

 in outer appearance and in this, that all its stamina with the 

 the axis upon which they stand are deciduous, a resemblance 

 to a true amentum, and is therefore rather to be compared to 

 a flower. The proof of this latter assumption presents, it is 

 true, far greater difficulties than the proof that the view, ac- 

 cording to which the cone of the Conifers is to be regarded as 

 an inflorescence, is incorrect. However, the examination of 

 the female amentum in all stages of transition leads M. Mohl 

 to the view that the male flowers of the Conifer <e exhibit an 

 approximation of the floral formation both to the inflorescence 

 and to the vegetative parts of the plant. The lower stage of 

 development, in which the male flower of the Conifer <z is found, 

 is easily shown by the want of a floral envelope and by the slight 

 shortening of its axis, and the only distinction from the vege- 

 tative axis consists in a short flower-stalk. (In young firs (Pi- 

 nus sylvestris) which flower for the first time, it may very fre- 

 quently be seen that one or more pairs of leaves are converted 

 at the lowest portion of the new shoots into anthers, a phae- 

 nomenon which throws great light on this subject. Rep.) 



Of especial interest also are the considerations on the female 

 flower of Cycas, where the intimate connexion between stem, 

 leaves, and carpellary leaves is far more remarkable than in 

 the flowers of the Conifers ; for in those species of Cycas, says 

 M. Mohl, in which the carpel-leaf still bears pinnules, the 

 forms of both are strikingly similar ; and the carpel leaves more- 

 over retain the nature of stem-leaves in so far that they do 

 not lie close on to one another, and the stem does not lose with 

 their production the power of growing further and producing 

 new leaves, on which account the portion of the axis covered 

 with the leaves of fructification fluctuates, from its nature, be- 

 tween an axis of fructification and of vegetation. 



M. Schleiden's views* on the morphological signification 



* Einige Blicke, &c. English translation in Lond. and Edin. Phil. Mag., 

 vol. xii. pp. 172 and 241. 



K2 



