the Male and Female Flowei's of Conifers. 219 



petal or crest of the anther at its extremity without materially 

 adding to its size ; so the same process of growth takes place 

 here. The apex of the scale is pushed on by the growth of the 

 lower part of the scale, and its shoulders are filled out and dis- 

 tended, by the accumulation of cell-growth behind them, until 

 they assume the form of a mature apophysis. It is in conse- 

 quence of the growth of the scale taking place in this manner 

 that in some Conifers, as the firs and pines, we have the seeds 

 growing upright in an orthotropal manner from the base of the 

 scale, while in others, as Wellingtonia and Sciadopitys, they 

 hang down from the upper part of the scale. The point of in- 

 sertion of the seeds is obviously close upon the boundary line 

 where the growth of the scale commences to act with vigour. 

 If it be below it, the seeds grow upwards, being determined in 

 that direction by their base or foundation being as it were 

 pushed downwards, and the body of the scale, by its lengthen- 

 ing upwards, giving an inclination to the seed resting on it to 

 follow in its growth the same direction. If the insertion, on the 

 other hand, is above the point of growth, their base, being at- 

 tached to the body of the scale, is carried upwards with it, and 

 their apex is turned downwards by the upward growth of their 

 point of insertion, as, indeed, they could not well grow in any 

 other direction. If I am right in this interpretation of the cause 

 of the seeds in some species growing up, and in others growing 

 down, it deprives that fact of much of the significance which 

 systematists have sought to attach to it. 



The growth of the scale is strengthened in the interior by a 

 woody core ; but here, too, its appearance is very apt to mislead 

 us. Figs. 12 and 13 represent respectively the core of a scale 

 of Wellingtonia and of a fir. It has a strong resemblance to 

 the flat branches which we often see in distorted shoots of the 

 spruce fir, where two or three twigs have become united ; and 

 hence many observers have adopted the view that the scale was 

 only a converted branch : but every part of a plant is only a 

 phase of another, all being referable to some modification of a 

 leaf; therefore the analogy to be drawn from its branch-like 

 core is no ground for holding the scale to be analogous to a 

 branch. The same objection would apply to all pericarps having 

 a woody core. 



It is to be observed, too, that although in the pines and 

 spruce firs this core remains, like a branch, and does not fall off 

 like most other pericarps, in the silver firs it does become con- 

 stricted at the base and drops off as they do. 



The core is double, as is well shown in Richard's figures; 

 but while apparently a double central stem, each of which we 

 should expect to supply respectively the inner and outer halves 



