4-10 



FERTILIZATION AND FORMATION OF FRUIT IN PHANEROGAMS. 



The ovules of both Abietinere and Cupressinese are inserted upon scales of vary- 

 ing form, the insertion of which on the axis of the cone may be broad or narrow (c/. 

 figs. 335 ^'^'8 and 337^-*'^). These scales form an imjjoi-tant constituent of the ripe 

 cone, and are known as the ovuliferous scales. In not a few cases, as in the Silver . 

 Fir {Abies pectinata, figs. 335 i-^'^.*) and Larch (Larix, figs. 335* and 337 i), there 

 exists a second scale, the bract scale, beneath each ovuliferous scale, and subtending 

 the same. In the Pine, also, both scales are present, though in the ripe cone there 

 are no signs of the bract-scales at the exterior owing to the fact that they become 

 entirely overgrown and embedded between the big ovuliferous scales. 



In the Abietineffi the scales of the cones are inserted in a continuous spiral (c/. 

 fig. 335 ^, and vol. i. p. 403, fig. 101), whilst in Cupressineae the scales are inserted in 

 whorls of 2 or 3 scales each (cf. figs. 336'''^ and 337^'^). In both, the margins of 



■The Lotus Lily {XehimbUnti speciostim). 



I Flower from which the peri.auth-leaves have been removed ; expanded receptacle in centre. 2 Longitudinal section through 

 the top-shaped enlargement of the receptacle, showing three carpels embedded in tlieir sockets, (.\fter Bailion.) 



the scales overlap, and the seeds are rii^oned in the slit-like chinks between them 

 (cf. 336^ and 337^). The whole assemblage of scales constitutes an aggregate fruit, 

 and is known as a cone. The scales may be hard and woody, when we have a 

 woody cone (335' and 337^'-'*); or they may be succulent, giving a fleshy cone. 

 In such fleshy cones very few of the whorls are succulent, the central axis is very 

 short, and the whole sti'ucture has much the appearance of a berr'y, as in the 

 Juniper (Juniperus commanis, tigs. 336" and 336^). 



The section of Gymuosperms known as the Taxinese do not produce cones. 

 Their seeds arise alone or in pairs at the ends of special short branches, or upon the 

 surface of small fruit-scales. The plum-like seeds of the Maidenhair Tree (Gingko 

 biloha) are arranged in pairs at the ends of axes which resemble cherry-stalks (see 

 fig. 337"). The seeds of the Yew {l\txus baccata) occur at the tips of little .scale- 

 bearing shoots, and when ripe are almost completely enveloped in a sweet, fleshy, 

 crimson tissue (see figs. 336^'*'^). This flesh j' inclosure, which arises as a circular 

 cushion from the place of insertion of the ovule, is not of the nature of a carpel, it 



