390' G. R. Wieland — American Fossil Cycads. 



But one interpretation of these facts is possible — Cycade- 

 oidea etrusca represents a fertilized dioecious plant, the male 

 flower of which has now been definitely recognized in an 

 allied species. The so-called u antheriferous tissue" noted by 

 Capellini and Solms-Laubaeh hence remains an unexplained 

 structure, possibly of much significance. Should this tissue 

 represent a developmental stage instead of permanent structure, 

 as certain sections made by the writer suggest, it nevertheless 

 merits the closest examination, and may have some connection 

 with a " corona" such as that of Williamsonia gigas. 



Another close resemblance between the American and 

 European species having prismatic seeds is the characteristic 

 surface sculpturing. Figure 2, Plate YIII, is introduced here for 

 comparison with a Bennettitean specimen illustrated by Seward 

 (Fossil Plants of the Wealden, Plate XV, figures 5 and 6).* 



Yale Museum, New Haven, Conn., April 24, 1899. 



EXPLANATION OF PLATES. 

 Plate YIII. 



Figure 1. — Cycadeoidea Wielandi, Ward 9; type specimen, x J. 

 Figure 2. — Cycadeoidea (sp.) 9; surface sculpturing of a fruit, x 10. 

 Pigure 3. — Cycadeoidea Wielandi. Ward 9; portion of a trunk, showing scars 



left by the shedding of fruits, x ^. 

 Figure 4. — Cycadeoidea turrita, Ward 9; transverse section of a seed stem 



(from near the parenchymatous cushion) surrounded by an unusual 



number of interseminal scales, x 30. . 



Figure 5. — Cycadeoidea Wielandi, Ward 9; longitudinal section through seed 



stems, showing their origin on the parenchymatous cushion, x 24. 

 Figure 6. — Same fruit as figure 5 ; transverse section of seed stems near 



periphery of fruit, x 30. (Compare with figure 14.) 



Plate IX. 



Figure 1. — Cycadeoidea (sp.) 9 ; nearly transverse section through the periphery 



of a fruit, cutting 5 seeds, in several of which the cotyledons may 



be seen, x 16. 

 Figure 8. — Cycadeoidea Wielandi, Ward 9;. longitudinal section through a fruit 



near the summit, cutting superimposed seeds, x 12. 

 Figure 9. — Cycadeoidea Wielandi, Ward 9; type specimen; transverse section 



through fruit ; showing seeds, seed stams, and interseminal scales. 



x4. 

 Figure 10. — Same fruit as preceding; longitudinal section through seed stems and 



parenchymatous cushion, x 4. 

 Figure 11. — Cycadeoidea turrita, Ward 9; transverse section through fruit, 



cutting a single seed obliquely, x 25. 

 Figure 12. — Same fruit as preceding ; longitudinal section, x 4. 



a, seed; b, densely set interseminal scales and aborted seed 



stems (?) ; c, the parenchymatous cushion ; d } involucral bracts ; 



e, line of dehiscence (?). 



* In the case of generic and specific names, the writer has followed Prof. Lester 

 P. Ward of the U. S.. National Museum, as the recognized authority on American 

 cycads. Fortunately for scientific uniformity, Prof. Ward has described practi- 

 cally all the cycads discovered in this country. 



