164 
plant is exceedingly rare in this country. This cone proved to 
be a pistillate one, and it is now almost mature, just about a 
year from the time of its es appearance. As will be seen from 
the illustration, the cone is ovoid. The plant is dioecious, that 
is, it bears the staminate and pistillate cones on different individ- 
uals. The staminate cone is said to be longer and narrower, 
cylindric in shape, measuring as much as six inches long and one 
and a quarter inches in diameter. 
The genus Stengeria is especially noteworthy among the 
cycads in having the leaflets pinnately veined, a character un- 
known in any other genus of this family, in which the venation 
is ordinarily parallel. So unusual is this character in the family 
that Kunze in 1835, when working on the botany of southern 
Africa, referred a leaf specimen of this plant to the fern genus 
omaria, never suspecting its true relationship, believing it to be 
the Lomaria coriacea Schrad. Four years later, recognizing this 
reference as erroneous, he gave it the name of Lomaria ertopus, 
still believing it to be a fern. In 1853 Thomas Moore seemed 
e an inkling of the truth, for he refers to it as a “ fern-like 
Zamia or a Zamia-like fern.”” He has no doubt as to its being 
a new genus, however, for he gives it the name of Stangeria par- 
adoxa,in honor of Dr. Stanger, who is introduced living speci- 
mens into Europe, sending them from tal to the Botanic 
Garden at Chelseain 1851. Three years i specimens of the 
cones were exhibited before the Linnzean Society, thus determin- 
ing its true relationship. 
An examination of the foliage of the plant in the Garden col- 
lection will show how strong is this resemblance of the leaves to 
those of a fern, and it is not to be wondered at that, in the ab- 
sence of cones, it should have been considered a fern. Although 
this relationship proved to be erroneous, the specific name which 
was first applied to it must be adopted, and the old Lomaria 
ertopus Kunze must be known now as Stangeria eriopus (Kunze), 
the later specific name of “ paradoxa” becoming a synonym. 
A staminate plant of this curious cycad is a great desideratum, 
and it is to be hoped that some time the Garden may be fortunate 
enough to secure one. 
GrorGE V. Nasu. 
