GYMNOSPEEMIA. 



363 



The male flower, according to these observers, consists of a dimerous peri- 

 anth in two rows, six stamens (or two thrice-branched, lateral stamens), and 



Fig. 448. 



Fig. 449. 



Fig. 450. 



Fig. 448. Welwitschia mirabilis, greatly reduced. 



Fig. 449. Portion of inflorescence of WelwUscMa, reduced. 



Fig. 450. Male or hermaphrodite flower of Welwitschia, reduced. 



two carpels (antero-posterior), thus : P 2+ 2 A 3 + 8 (TIT. In the female 

 flower there is neither perianth nor andrcecium, but two collateral carpels. 

 The carpels in the so-called male flowers are antero-posterior, ; ; in the 

 female coUateral . The ovule in the male flower is destitute of an inte- 

 gument, while in the female flower it is present in the shape of a single 

 ring-like or tubular investment. The structure of the stem belongs to the 

 Dicotyledonous type, but having, in addition to the other bundles, scattered 

 vessels passing through the parenchyma, as in Monocotyledonous stems. 

 Among the ordinary parenchymatous cells occur " spicular " cells of large 

 size and irregular branching form ; these are covered on the outside with 

 rhomboidal crystals of carbonate of lime. Similar cells occur in the leaves 

 of Araucaria among Pinacese. 



