i 9 4 STUDIES IN FOSSIL BOTANY 



is quite probable, however, that the bristles and other 

 appendages of the megaspores may have served to 

 catch the microspores, and thus 

 secure their presence when dis- 

 persal took place. 



Recent discoveries have 

 shown that the difficulty was 

 met, in some of the Palaeozoic 

 Lycopods, in another way, 

 namely, by the formation of a 

 kind of ovule or seed, which 

 may probably have been ferti- 

 lised, or at least pollinated, 

 while still on the plant. In 

 -=u. Lepidocarpon Lomaxi, a cone so 

 closely allied to Lepidostrobus 

 that male specimens were 

 formerly regarded by myself 

 and others as a mere variety of 

 L. oldhamius, each megaspor- 

 . angium contains a single mature 



I 1 ig. So. — Lepidocarpon Lomaxi. ° 



Sporangium and sporophyii be- megaspore or embryo-sac, filling 



fore integument was formed; in 



tangential section of cone, cu, almost the whole Cavity (Fig. 



lateral cushions of sporophyii ; a, n . , • i i i 



base of sporangium; Avascular 8o), but accompanied by three 



bundle ; **, palisade layer of abortive spores so that the 

 sporangium; tut, inner layer of " J fc 



waii; mg membrane of mega- original number in each spor- 



spore or embryo sac. This section r 



does not pass through the angium was no doubt four, of 



abortive spores. X about 12. 



(G. t. g.) Scott, Phil. Tra?is. which one gained the upper 



hand over the rest. Around 



the sporangium, the wall of which was identical 



in structure with that of a Lepidostrobus, the tissue of 



the bract grew up to form a regular integument, closing 



