34 Charles E. Bessey 



which is fecundated by the non-ciliated sperms (male nuclei) 

 from the tubular antherids resulting in the formation of an em- 

 bryo sporophyte ; megasporangia surrounded by one or two envel- 

 oping coats (seed coats) ; mature seed with or without endosperm 

 (gametophyte tissue). 



The Flowering Plants are here held to have sprung from stro- 

 biliferous ancestors probably of the type of the Bennettitaccae, 

 and as a consequence those Anthophyta are considered to be prim- 

 itive in which the sporophylls are many and distinct. Symphylly 

 and syncarpy are later structural conditions than apophylly and 

 apocarpy. So also, fewer sporophylls in the anthostrobilus is a 

 later condition derived from the earlier polyphyllous structure. 

 The symphysis of sporophylls is a mode of evolution, and so is 

 their aphanisis. 



The plants constituting this phylum are those commonly termed 

 Angiosperms, in contrast with the Gymnosperms, including the 

 Cycads (Cycadophyta) and Conifers (Strocilophyta). It 

 appears to the writer, however, that these are more properly 

 three pretty distinct phyla, and that the relationship of the Gym- 

 nosperms to the Angiosperms is so remote that the treatment 

 here given them is more nearly in accordance with what is known 

 as to their phylogeny. 



There are two classes, Monocotyledons and Dicotyledons, of 

 which the second was probably the earlier, as it is now much the 

 larger numerically. Indeed it is becoming more probable that 

 the Monocotyledons are to be regarded as a peculiar side branch 

 which sprang from the primitive Dicotyledons after the latter had 

 become well established. Yet the Monocotyledons have not de- 

 veloped to as high a rank in any of their orders as have some of 

 the Dicotyledons. 



Class z^. MONOCOTYLEDOXEAE. The Monocotyledons. 

 Leaves of young sporophore alternate ; leaves of mature sporo- 

 phore usually parallel-veined; fibro-vascular bundles of the stem 

 scattered, usually not arranged in rings. (Species about 23,700.) 



Sub-Class MONOCOTYLEDONEAE-HYPOGYNAE. Per- 



70 



