CONTRIBUTIONS TO THE. LIFE HISTORY OF 
WIDDRINGTONIA CUPRESSOIDES 
Wi To Sax Ton 
(WITH PLATES I-III AND THREE FIGURES) 
In a previous communication (10) the writer has pointed out cer- 
tain peculiarities in this genus, and in the genus Callitris, which mark 
them off sharply from all other Cupressineae which have been inves- 
tigated. Many phases of the life history have now been fully inves- 
tigated in both genera, and in the main confirm the results previously 
published, although certain points require modification or correction. 
The investigation of both genera has been carried on simultaneously, 
the original intention having been to present the results in one paper; 
it has however been found that the differences between the two are 
more radical than was anticipated, and the present communication 
relates solely to Widdringtonia. A similar account of Callitris will 
be published very shortly (11), in which the results of both investi- 
gations will be discussed. The methods used have not differed 
materially from those previously employed. 
1. The male cone 
The sporophylls are arranged, like the leaves, in decussate pairs. 
Each sporophyll is peltate and bears four microsporangia’ on the. 
proximal side of its stalk. The output of spores from a sporangium 
is about 500. The structure of the sporophyll in a transverse section 
through the insertion of the sporangia is shown in fig. 1. The struc- 
ture of the cone in radial longitudinal sections has already been 
figured (10, fig. 2). The anatomy of the sporophyll agrees exactly 
with that of Callitris and will be later described in that genus. 
2. The female cone and the ovule 
The young female cone consists of two spreading decussate pairs 
__ of sporophylls, each scale bearing seven or eight ovules on the proximal 
_ half of the upper surface, and close to the median ridge.* Each 
1 MASTERs (6) says 2-3. 
2 In W. Schwarzii only three ovules are borne on each scale. 
4 F 31] {Botanical Gazette, vol. 50 
