238 Plants and their Ways in South Africa 



Division IV. — Gymnosperms. 



Gymnosperms are woody pl'ints storing resin or mucilage. 

 The flowers are diclinous (male and female separate), and the 

 plants are either moncecious or dioecious.' 



Three orders of Gymnosperms are found in South Africa — 

 Cycadaceae, Coniferaj, and Gnetaceas. These orders in- 

 clude five genera. 



Cycadace,^. — The two South African genera of this order 

 are often mistaken for tree ferns or palms, until the large cones 

 a foot or more long are seen among the crowns of pinnate 

 leaves. Spirals of rigid scale leaves alternating with foliage 

 leaves also serve to distinguish Cycadacea;. 



Fui. ^12. -~E?ii-ep/ialin-/iii vi/lo\,ii, Ixlmi. (Pholograph bv I'. .S. I.^iiicy, Esq.) 



Encephalartos. — Stem cylindrical ; pinn;e of the leaves without 

 midrib, tinelv parallel veined. 



Santgeria.— Stem .short, swollen ; pinn;e midribbed with forked veins. 



' Staminate and pistillate flowers on the same plant or on different 

 plants. 



