126 G. JZ. Wieland — (J ycadeoidean Floioer-bud Structure. 



which it may well prove is partly or wholly correct in the case 

 of some species. However this may be, it is only the actual 

 evidence to which one may turn, and it is always best in any 

 study of fossils rightly carried out to exactly state to what 

 extent supposedly correct interpretations of structures are 

 brought under suspicion by newly found or better understood 

 features. It is, therefore, well to add that in the case of 

 Cycadeoidea ingens nearly the entire flower is present, and 

 that in my original descriptions I noted the radial structure 

 that appeared very vaguely at the summit, and rather happily 

 termed the fruit a " capsular male fructification." But it was 

 then thought that as the summit was quite small only a few 

 millimeters could have been eroded away, which if true would 

 leave the restoration essentially correct as given. But now 

 it seems probable that a small dome was present ; though it is 

 not to be overlooked that this may have been rounded, not 

 spired, in which case the restorations first given are essentially 

 correct. 



The case of Cycadeoidea dacotensis is more doubtful. It 

 might have had a greater or a smaller dome than the hypo- 

 thetical one of C. ingens, or none. The huge rounded and 

 wholly bract-covered fruits of the original type in the State 

 University of Iowa collection must be ovulate cones from 

 which the staminate disks have been shed. Those with disks 

 end roughly and are thus partly eroded at the summit. It is 

 clear at least that if, as first supposed, the ovulate cone is much 

 elongated no dome can be present. Speaking from the view- 

 point of symmetry both structures would not be found together. 

 So far the apical region of a well-preserved flower of Cycade- 

 oidea dacotensis has never been seen ; but now that the subject 

 has assumed such a tangible interest the actual dome structure 

 will be searched out and studied. 



In C. Marshiana, as described in Part YI, the flower is 

 very small, and so far the disk apices have not been noted. 

 The figures given show structure only and are all absolutely cor- 

 rect in all details, so that any one may judge for himself as to 

 whether there was development of a dome. It seems to me 

 quite certain that there was a distinct dome to that flower. 



Expansion of Flower and Mode of Fertilization. 



What a flower with such strange appendages may have 

 looked like in the different species when mature is easier fan- 

 cied than accurately drawn ; and for this reason I have given 

 in figs. 5-7 several restorations in imagined expanded positions. 

 But it is readily seen that, having a form so doubly unique for 

 a gymnosperm, it was much easier for the disk to dehisce out 



