86 AMERICAN FERN JOURNAL 
was borne in an open cupule somewhat as is a hazel 
nut in its involucre. The cupule is studded with capi- 
tate glands exactly like those borne by the fronds and 
stems of Lyginodendron. 
As already mentioned the seeds are silicified and 
retain most of their structure so well preserved that 
almost every part can be studied. The following des- 
cription is by Dr. D. H. Scott, President of the Linnaean 
Society of London: “The seed itself is orthotropous 
and generally of cycadean organization; it shows com- 
plete radial symmetry. * * * It consists essentially of a 
central body or nucellus, enclosed in a seed-coat; these 
two parts closely united together except at the top. 
It will be remembered that in modern cycads and in 
the maiden-hair tree (Ginkgo) there is a hollow chamber 
in the apex of the nucellus serving to catch the pollen- 
grains. The same arrangement is present in the seed 
of Lyginodendron, and pollen is still found in the pollen- 
chamber; the latter, however, is less simple than in living 
cyeads, for a column of tissue rises up in the middle 
of the chamber, leaving only a narrow space around it 
for the reception of the pollen. It is interesting to find 
that the mouth of the pollen-chamber projected a little 
through the micropyle, so that it received the pollen 
directly instead of the grains having to traverse the 
micropyle first. ’’ 
The last chapter in this fascinating history was the 
finding of the pollen-bearing or male organs. It appears 
that on the same fronds which bear the ordinary vege- 
tative leaflets, there are certain fertile pinnules which 
ar a number of oval dises 2 or 3 mm. in length. On 
the under side of each dise there are from 4 to 6 two- 
chambered, spindle-shaped pollen-sacs, and_ pollen- 
grains were actually found in them. Until these pollen- 
bearing organs were found in organic connection with 
foliage of Lyginodendron there was nothing to suggest 
