48 SCOTCH FIR. [CHAP. 



just as the Bean differs from the Buttercup amongst 

 Dicotyledons. But whether albuminous or exalbuminous, 

 they are all MONOCOTYLEDONS, with rare exceptions; 

 so that this term comes to be applied to a second great 

 Class, just as Dicotyledons is applied to the members of 

 the Class of which we previously examined representative 

 types. The five plants which we have just examined all 

 have monocotyledonous embryos, excepting Orchis, which 

 is exceptional, in being destitute of a cotyledon ; they all 

 have parallel-veined leaves, excepting Arum; and those 

 with a perianth have its parts in threes. Now these 

 characters, supported by others derived from the internal 

 structure of the stem, are, as a rule, common to all 

 Monocotyledons, and in contrast to those characters 

 which we have shown to prevail amongst and to mark 

 Dicotyledons. 



10. SCOTCH FIR. The flowers are destitute of a 

 perianth, unisexual, and monoecious. Both staminate 

 and ovuliferous flowers are spicate. Each staminate 

 flower consists of a number of subsessile anthers, each 



FIG. 38. Staminal scale of FIG. 39. Scale of Scotch Fir- 



Scotch Fir. bearing ovules. 



2-celled, with a broad upturned membranous connective 

 (Fig. 38), arranged in small cylindrical shortly stipitate 

 spikes, sheathed at the base by a few scaly bracts. 

 These spiciform staminate flowers are in their turn 

 collected in terminal spikes terminal, that is, until the 

 leafy axis of the branch bearing them is prolonged 

 through their midst. 



