CHAPTER XLV. 



CONIFERALES. 



SHOOTS, CONE-SCALES, ETC. 



THE majority of the vegetative and fertile shoots, cone-scales, 

 seeds, etc., selected in illustration of the past history and geographi- 

 cal distribution of the Coniferales are described under the different 

 families enumerated on page 124. Under each family are included 

 not only specimens which, with a fair amount of confidence, can 

 be assigned to a family-position but also genera of doubtful 

 affinity which it has been contended afford evidence of greater or 

 less value in favour of an alliance with the family under which 

 they are described. The inclusion of certain genera in a chapter 

 or section devoted to a particular family does not necessarily mean 

 that they show clear evidence of relationship to that family: 

 many of the genera might with equal propriety be relegated to 

 Chapter L, which is devoted to Coniferales incertae sedis. On the 

 other hand some genera included in that category would by other 

 authors be given a place in the Araucarineae or some other family. 

 I have endeavoured to state the different views expressed by 

 authors with regard to the affinity of imperfectly known genera, 

 but in many instances the available data do not afford any trust- 

 worthy evidence of relationship to existing types. 



ARAUCARINEAE. 



D AMM ARITE S. Presl. 

 PROTODAMMARA. Hollick and Jeffrey. 



The distinctive characters of the recent genus Agathis (Dammara) 

 are briefly described in Chapter XLIII. Fossil records bearing on 

 the past history of Agathis are more meagre and more difficult of 

 interpretation than those relating to Araucaria. The evidence 

 at present available points to the greater antiquity of Araucaria 

 at least as regards the type of cone characteristic of that genus. 



