260 



GYMNOSPERM.S. 



resembling certain Ferns the Adiantums. It is a native of East 

 Asia, and the only surviving species of a genus which in earlier 



Fio. 260. Ginlcgo (nat. size) : A a branch with a small flowering dwarf-branch (male 

 flower); a leaf; C a flower with two ovules ; Da ripe seed; ar collar. 



times was very rich in species, and distributed over the entire 

 Northern Hemisphere. Cephalotaxus (Eastern Asia) is related to it. 

 B. PODOCARPE^E. The female flower is reduced to one ovule, 

 placed in the axil of a bract, or a little forward upon it. The ovule 

 has an aril (2 integuments). Phyllocladus 

 (Fig. 261), from New Zealand and Tasmania, 

 has obtained its name from its flat, leaf-like 

 branches, the leaves proper being scale-like 

 (/). The ovules stand erect in the axil of 

 the scale-like leaves (c), and several are 

 collected at the end of short branches. 

 Microcachrys tetragona (Tasmania) has a 

 small female catkin with several spirally- 

 placed, fleshy bracts, at the end of which 

 the inward and downward turned ovule is 

 attached (Fig. 262 A, A'). The ripe cones 

 are red, succulent, and resemble Straw^ 

 berries. In Dacrydium (Tasmania, New 

 FIG. 201. - Phyllocladus Zea ] aild Malaysia) the female cone has most 



glaucus . a branch with , ' ' 



female flowers (nat. size). frequently only 1-2 (-6) bracts, which re- 



