MR. W. C. WILLIAMSON ON THE HISTORY OF ZAMIA GIGAS. 873 



If this be a correct interpretation of the organism, it has been a verticil of altered 

 leaves which have coalesced below into a funnel-shaped disk, but yet show in the free 

 peripheral rays the number of leaves entering into its composition. This interi>retat ion has 

 been strengthened by the discovery of a small seed represented in figs.ll. 15 (Plate LI 11.). 

 I found this seed imbedded among the bracts of a scaly peduncle when breaking it. It 

 exactly corresponds in size to the depressions in fig. 3, where it was, I believe, born. 





Its upper extremity is rounded (fig. 15), somewhat depressed, and nearly smoot h ; its 

 opposite end is more prominent and rougher. When originally found it was covered bj 

 a thin film of carbonaceous matter, and its matrix still exhibits a faint brownish tain 

 surrounding the nut. Its surface is very slightly marked with longitudinal lines resem- 

 bling those of the putamen of JEncephcdartos Coffer. 



No example has yet been discovered in which the radiating carpellary disk has retained 

 its connexion with the peduncle. Its vascular tissues seem to be more developed on it s in- 

 ferior than on its superior surface. I infer this from impressions of the former ( Plat . 1 . 1 1 

 % 2) being always strongly grooved longitudinally, while those of the latter, which 

 I have seen, are smooth. The upper part had probably a thick layer of parenchyma. 

 With such reasons for supposing that this has been the representative of the female con. 

 we attain to a negative probability that the involucrum and its appendau s have been the 

 male organ. That the cells on the pyriform axis did not contain ovules, as sonic have 

 deemed probable, I am convinced. We constantly find them in such excellent preser- 

 vation, that some traces of ovules would have been retained had they ever exist 

 Besides their very small diameter precludes the idea. That the expanded lenticular di 

 performed some important function is most probable. Its upper surface may have been 

 also antheriferous, and this possibility is further sustained by _the circumstance l :ha t thr 

 part of the structure also appears to have been deciduous, 

 lucra which I have seen, I have only met with three or four in which these uppermost 

 parts of the axis were not wanting. Fig. 4 accurately indicates the way in which tin* 

 ^ _ _, been truncated prior to its being imbedded in the -^. **£ 

 though the cells in the funnel-shaped part of the peduncle remain, their upper extreme 

 ties, with whatever they sustained, were almost invariably detached 



Assuming the specimens of stems described to belong to Zamia ^ the p Lint 

 have had the habit of Cycas circinalis, and I have accordingly so restored it in 11 LLU. 

 The dichotomous scaly peduncle is adopted on the « o = - *£ 

 borough Museum ; this may, however, be exceptional, just as a aouDie 



I must, in conclusion, express my gratitude to the «"-J-^£^ 



Of all the 



ally 



Cycads 



J 



for the sight of drawings and specimens which JjJ^Jw Society ofWhitb, 

 to others. The kind assistance of the Conned of the Phl 0S0 P" u . ^ allom(l „„ . the 

 already heen acknowledged. The Scarborough Phdosopmc* .^ ^^ rf ^ 



same liberal use of specimens from their fine "»"? ^ whicl , my veteran 



relationship would not justify my overlooking tne c b . ( ., d . v k 



father has pursued the search for these Cycadean rehes dnrmg fifty J* 





