103 
Inflorescence of Cycas revoluta and Macrozamia spiralis. 
Mr. James Yates, F.L.S., offered some observations on the inflo- 
rescence of Cycas revoluta and Macrozamia spiralis, illustrated by 
specimens. 
Cycas revoluta.—Prof. Miquel, of Amsterdam, to whom we now 
look for the best systematic arrangement and description of Cycads, 
remarks, that male specimens are rarer in Europe than female. 
“ Specimina culta,” says he, “ omnia feré feminea. Masculinum in 
Horto Petropolitano exstat, ubi bis floruit (Otto u. Dietr. Garienz. vii. 
1839, p. 24).” See his ‘ Monographia Cycadearum,’ 1842, folio, p. 24, 
and his “ Genera et Species Cycadearum viventium ” in the ‘ Linnea’ 
for 1843, p. 683. This observation is certainly true in regard 
to Great Britain. Since the first example of the female at Farnham, 
described by Sir J. E. Smith in the ‘ Linnean Transactions,’ vol. vi., 
not less than six other plants have borne fruit, and some of them two 
or three times, viz. at Chatsworth, Ravensworth Castle, Laurel Mount 
and Knowsley near Liverpool, Kew, and Lauderdale House, Highgate. 
The plant last alluded to (Mr. J. Yates’s) flowered in 1845, and sub- 
sequently produced four magnificent crowns of leaves, the finest of 
them consisting of fifty-three leaves. In October, 1852, the first ap- 
pearance of another cone was indicated by scales, covered with their 
soft yellow tomentum; but it remained long doubtful whether this 
would turn out to be another crown of leaves, or a head of fruit-bearing 
fronds. In April last the question was determined, as the peculiar 
palmate fronds were clearly seen, and were closely folded over one 
another, having the form of a somewhat flattened spheroid and the 
size of a moderately large melon. In May these fronds or spadices 
increased rapidly and vigorously. They expanded and remained 
open three days, so that the young drupes, also covered with down, 
and nearly the size and form of horse-beans, were easily discernible. 
They then closed again, and the whole spheroid became as compact 
and solid as before. It was conjectured that this temporary disclo- 
sure of the drupes, supposing it to be the habit of the plant, might be 
a provision for their fecundation, admitting of the access of the pollen. 
The fronds, which are crimson, shaded by their thin covering of yel- 
low down, are now spread in all directions and have attained their full 
development, except that the drupes, perhaps in consequence of the 
cold, wet, and dull season, fall without having come to perfection. It 
