87 



with divaricating falcate apices 1 cm. long by 7 mm. broad. The leaves 

 gradually become smaller and more modified in form as the plant matures, 

 till, in young trees of 19 m. in height, they are fleshy coriaceous in texture, 

 1 cm. long by 0-7 mm. broad, showing + 5 whitish lines of stomata in 

 formalin material, connate almost to the extreme apex, which is apiculate or 

 acute, with incurved tendency. The small scale-like leaves of the fruiting 

 branches are 1 mm. long by about the same in breadth, with a few faint 

 stomatal lines. The $ cone is 14 mm. by 3 mm., with peltate sporophylls 

 bearing 4-6 sporangia (4 being the usual number) at the base ; in one case 

 3 sporangia to each scale were present throughout the strobilus, and in 

 another 4-G were seen ; the strobilus (first ovoid) elongates considerably on 

 the dehiscence of the sporangia, the sporophylls drying light brown in 

 colour. The ? strobilus consists of 4 simple bracts, opposite decussate in 

 arrangement, subtended by 4 modified scale-leaves ; the 2 fertile interior 

 bracts, each bearing 2 ovules at the base, are longer, and in the pollination 

 stage unmodified, when they are + 4 mm. long by 3 mm. broad, showing no 

 differentiation between the fertile and sterile bracts. As the strobilus 

 increases in size, a swelling appears between the two fertile bracts. This 

 swelling gradually develops into 2 ovate-elongate projections which displace 

 the apices of the bracts, and it is these secondary projections which open 

 to liberate the ovules, both reflecting on dehiscence, like the outside bracts, 

 which are modified in the same manner but to a less extent. In both 

 cases this hypertrophied secondary tissue is ciliate round the margin. The 

 strobilus before dehiscence may be 1*4 cm. long by 9 mm. broad, and the 

 ovule, of which the wing is still undeveloped, 5 mm. by 4 mm. All 

 measurements are from formalin material. 



On the ridges this tree was small and not seen in fruit. Some beautiful 

 specimens occurred in the sheltered forest by the lake, + 34 m. high, with 

 very straight round boles and red scaly bark ; the more or less conical 

 crowns, spreading at the base, of g-racef ul dark green foliage, rose above the 

 level of the forest. All these fine trees showed dead branches at the lops, as 

 if their development had been arrested or their maximum passed. The only 

 trees seen in fruit were in a more or less open space on the western slopes of 

 Koebre ; these were grouped together, + 16 m. high, with the cones just 

 shedding their pollen and the ? cones in all stages, both borne*abunda.ntly 

 on separate branches as in Thuja. 



This species is distinct, like L. papuana F. Muell., in the spirally -arranged 

 sporophylls of the <$ strobilus and in the varying number of the sporangia. 

 It differs in the shape and texture of the leaves, which are dark green on 

 both surfaces, in the more numerous rows of sporophylls in the $ , and in 

 the bracts of the ? strobilus. 



