158 COKEFERALES (RECENT) 



[OH. 



iana z , 



of some species with concealed bract-scales, e.g., A. violacea 1 , A. Webbiana z , 

 A. concolor (fig. 705, D, E), are hardly distinguishable from those of Picea and 

 the larger cones of Tsuga, while those of Abies amabilis resemble Cedar cones. 



PODOCARPINEAE. The wood agrees with that of the Cupressineae 

 in the presence of xylem-parenchyma, but Gothan 3 states that the pores of 

 the bordered pits on the radial walls of the medullary rays in the region of 

 the spring-wood are narrow, elliptical, and vertical (fig. 693, K), while in the 

 Cupressineae the pore is horizontal (cf. fig. 693, H), a feature that is not 

 sufficiently constant to afford a trustworthy criterion. Podocarpus. Leaf- 

 lamina linear and short (P. nivalis, etc.) as in Taxus, longer and broader (in P. 

 elatus reaching a length of 29 cm. and 2 cm. broad), as in Cephalotaxus (fig. 

 694, A) and the pinnae of Cycas small appressed and scale-like (P. cupressina) 

 or ovate and provided with several veins (P. Nagi, 6x2 cm., P. Wallichiana, 

 13 15 x 3-5 cm.). The leaves are opposite in the section Nageia (fig. 707), 

 scattered in other species. Tison 4 has shown that in the broad-leaved species 

 only one vascular bundle is given off from the stele and this branches in the 

 petiole, not in the cortex as in Agathis. The leaf of P. macrophylla 5 

 (5 6 cm. x 7 mrn.) represents a fairly common type : short reticulate tracheids 

 occur on each side of the vein and elongated tracheids extend from the midrib to 

 the leaf -edge. There are three canals near the lower surface, but in some species 

 only one is present. P. formosensis* (fig. 707) has leaves like those of P. Nagi, 

 but more rigid, thicker, and smaller; the epidermal cell-walls are thick and 

 elongated and 4 5 cells surround each stoma (fig. 707, a, b). The presence 

 of hypodermal mechanical tissue distinguishes Podocarpus leaves from those 

 of Torreya, and another characteristic feature is afforded by the two kinds of 

 accessory tracheids in place of the ordinary transfusion-tissue in the great ma- 

 jority of leaves. Reference has already been made to the ' cones.' Dacrydium. 

 The dimorphism of the foliage-shoots is illustrated in fig. 708. The very 

 simple type of megastrobilus is a striking feature (fig. 684, P). Microcachrys. 

 Leaves small, appressed, in decussate pairs 7 . As in Dacrydium there is 

 a single canal below the vein. Gothan notices the frequent occurrence of a 

 single large pit in the field of the rays. The fleshy mulberry-like cone is 

 a peculiar feature. Saxegothaea (fig. 687). Lindley 8 , the author of the genus, 

 describes this Conifer as having the male flowers of a Podocarp, the cones of 

 an Agathis, the fruit of a Juniper, and the habit of Taxus. There is a canal 

 below the vein, also lateral transfusion-tracheids but less numerous than in 

 Podocarpus. The occurrence of pits in the horizontal walls of the ray cells 

 is a character in which Saxegothaea differs from the genera comprised under 

 the general term Cupressinoxylon 9 . The cones have already been described. 



1 Oard. Chron. Dec. 27, 1890. 2 Ibid. Oct. 3, 1891. 



3 Gothan (05) p. 47. 4 Tison (12) PI. iv. fig. 2. 



5 Stiles (12). 6 Diimmer (12). 



7 Hooker, W. J. Icones Plantarum, 1843. 



8 Veitch (00) p. 158; for figures, see Gard. Chron. June 22, 1889, p. 782. 



9 See p. 186. 



