130 THE EVOLUTION OF PLANTS 



or catkins, quite as sharply differentiated from 

 the ordinary branches as in a modern Coniferous 

 tree (fig. 14). 



In the male catkins, which were borne in 

 clusters, the stamens were protected by bracts. 

 Each stamen consisted of a long stalk bearing 

 at the end from four to six long pollen-sacs, 

 which stood erect. The best comparison per- 

 haps is with the male catkins of the Maidenhair- 

 tree. Here the stamens are likewise stalked, and 

 usually bear two pollen-sacs, which, however, 

 hang down instead of standing erect. Sometimes 

 there are three or four pollen-sacs even in the 

 recent plant, and the larger number is also found 

 in Mesozoic Maidenhair-trees. The intermingling 

 of bracts with the stamens is, however, peculiar 

 to Cordaites. 



The female fructifications differed little from 

 the male in outward appearance. The ovules, 

 few in number, were borne, among the bracts, 

 each at the end of a short stalk. By singular good 

 fortune, the ovules, as well as more mature seeds, 

 have been found well preserved. There is a well- 

 developed pollen-chamber, in which the pollen- 

 grains are formed; in fact, Cordaites was the first 

 fossil plant in which the many-celled structure 

 of the pollen was discovered. The ovule and 

 seed were altogether much like those of recent 

 Cycadacese, and at the same time differed little 



