206 Plants and tlieir Ways in SoutJi Africa 



Stem hollow ; leaf-sheath split ; ligule 

 present 



Gymnospermae 



(For Classification see System of Engler). 

 SYSTEM OF ENGLER, 1897. 



Adapted and limited (in the Angiospermae) to the orders found in 

 South Africa. 



Groups of related orders in this system are combined in cohorts. 

 The earlier cohorts are ill defined and characters of different cohorts 

 overlap. As the characters of the orders become more specialized the 

 cohorts become better defined. 



SPERMAPHYTA. 

 Gymnospermae. 



Ovules not enclosed in an ovary. Endosperm formed, without nuclear 

 fusion, before fertilization. 



Class I. Cycadales stem unbranched or with 

 little branching ; leaves pinnate ; 

 perianth wanting; dioecious . CYCADACE^E. 

 Class II. Ginkgoalesstem branched, with 

 long and short shoots ; leaves 

 fan-shaped ; dioecious . . GINKGOACE/E. 

 Class III. Conifer a stem branched, with or 

 without long and short shoots ; 

 leaves usually narrow ; flowers 

 unisexual ; perianth wanting. 

 Cones imperfect, seeds projecting 

 beyond the carpels, with fleshy 



aril TAXACE/E. 



Cones fully formed; seeds con- 

 cealed between the scales . . ARAUCARIACE/E. 

 Class IV. Gnetales stem simple or branched, 

 habit various ; leaves in pairs, 

 simple; perianth present . . GNETACE/E. 



Angiospermae. 



Ovules borne within an ovary of carpels with cohering margins. En- 

 dosperm produced by nuclear fusion, formed after fertilization. 



