EVOLUTION OF PHANEROGAMS 171 



evolution of flowering plants and trees somewhat as 

 follows : — 



? 



Ferns Seed-ferns (Pteridosperms) 



Cyoadophytes Gymnosperms. 



Angiosperms 



That is, the Angiosperms are supposed to have been derived 

 as an offshoot from the disappearing Cyoadophytes ; these 

 from the Seed-ferns, which in turn are held to have sprung 

 from a common stock with the Ferns. The Gymnosperms 

 are thought to be possibly the result of side-evolution from 

 the Seed-ferns. We would suggest a different derivation 

 for the Angiosperms and Gymnosperms, not inferring that 

 there is no relationship of any sort between the Angiosperm 

 and the Cycadophyte, but that the two plant-types are 

 not linked closely or distantly to any terrestrial evolutionary 

 road. The distinct continuously zooidal primitive types 

 from which it is suggested the Cyoadophytes, Angiosperms, 

 and Gymnosperms were derived would exhibit many homo- 

 logies, and it is through these that we are led to recognise a 

 terrestrial evolutionary relationship which does not really 

 exist. 



Marine zooidal colonies of the present day have been 

 derived from primitive types which existed long ages ago, 

 and it is from some such early types that we presume the 

 primitive Phanerogams were derived. Further, we would 

 suggest that in the typical Phanaerogams there are evident 

 clear signs of the past zooidal derivation. 



First of all there is the general form or plan of the 

 flowering plant, with stem and branches, which are usually 

 cylindrical in shape and roughly circular in section. At 

 fairly regular intervals a leaf arises from the stem or branch, 

 and in the axil of the leaf is situated a bud which can 

 grow to become a new branch. The region between any 

 two successive leaves or buds is known as an internode, 

 and the stem or branch is but a continuous series of 

 internodes. 



In the branching plan of the Phanerogam we would 

 recognise the similar plan of the zooidal colony, and in the 



