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NOTES ON SOUTH AFEICAN CYC ADS.*— 1. 



(With Plates VI., VII., VIII.) 

 i 



By H. H. W. Pearson, M.A., F.L.S. 



(Bead June 27, 1906.) 



While the Cycads have been the object of much attention from 

 the anatomical botanist and, particularly during recent years, from 

 the morphologist, our knowledge of what may be termed the 

 Natural History of the group remains very imperfect. It is most 

 desirable that some attempt should be made to lessen our igno- 

 rance in this respect, not only on account of the interest which 

 attaches to this family as the most primitive of living seed-bearing 

 plants, but also in the hope that a study of the living plants in a 

 state of nature and of the life-conditions to which they have become 

 adapted will throw light upon problems presented by the imperfect 

 remains of their extinct relatives. Our present state of comparative 

 ignorance is due, however, to no lack of interest, but rather to want 

 of the opportunities for investigation. Cycads for the most part 

 inhabit districts in which means of communication are few, and it is 

 only here and there that systematic field-observations are possible. 

 It has thus arisen that for what we know of the family as living 

 plants we are chiefly indebted to the horticulturist. 



Although, as Lehmann quaintly observes, " Cycadeae omnes, quae 

 Africam australem inhabitant, neque in agris urbi Capensi pro- 

 pioribus, neque in omnibus totius coloniae partibus proveniunt, 

 sed in iis tantum terrae tractibus, qui longo intervallo ab urbe 

 absunt," nevertheless the localities of many species are fairly easily 

 accessible and offer facilities for investigation. The following paper 

 contains records of observations on four of these species. Some are 

 of doubtful significance, and may prove to be unimportant. They 



* Assisted by a grant from the British Association. 



