BRANCHES AND LEAVES IN CONIFERA. 659 
term, is not confined to a small section of the vegetable kingdom, but is to be 
found, in one form, or another, almost everywhere. 
It may be that in the foregoing I have gone over already trodden ground. 
I have not been able to find any special work on the subject, by which, if there 
is such, I may have been forestalled. I trust, however, that, as one who is not 
a professional botanist, I may be excused for any failing in that regard. 
NOTE to the above by Professor ALEXANDER Dickson, Glasgow. 
From a morphological point of view, the matters treated of in Dr STark’s interesting paper 
suggest considerations of the highest importance. 
It can hardly be doubted that the ramuli decidui, of more or less definite form and duration, 
so common in the Cupressinez, are approximations to the more highly differentiated structures 
we find in the phylloid shoots or cladodia which exclusively perform leaf-functions in 
Phyllocladus, and in the still more aberrant Sciadopitys. In these two genera, it may be men- 
tioned, the leaves on the permanent shoots are developed, as in Pinus, exclusively as bud-scales ; 
and it is interesting to observe a tendency toa similar rudimentary development of the leaves 
on the permanent shoots of the deciduous cypress (Taxodiwm distichwm), which affords the 
most remarkable known instance of cladoptosis, since, on the approach of winter, it loses the 
whole year’s crop of leafy twigs or ramules. 
Reference here may also appropriately be made to the circumstance that in Conifers we 
have perhaps as striking examples as any afforded by the vegetable kingdom of groups in which 
the forms at an early stage closely resemble each other in certain characters ; but where, in the 
subsequent stages, the primary or juvenile characteristics may become completely lost in one 
form, may be completely retained in a second, or only partially retained ina third. The greater 
or less persistence of juvenile characteristics has been termed “ Stasimorphy” by teratologists, as 
expressing a stasis or arrest of development. This subject, as illustrated by the Coniferze, has 
already been treated of by Dr MAstErs in his “ Vegetable Teratology ” (pp. 217, 218); but as it 
is one of great interest and importance, it may not be out of place to present it again, and 
perhaps in somewhat different form. In the eroup including the genera Pinus, Abies, 
Picea, Larix and Cedrus, we have plants which, in the seedling condition, all exhibit the 
green leaves scattered upon elongated shoots. In Pinus,as development proceeds, this juvenile 
characteristic is completely lost ; the green leaves ultimately being developed exclusively upon 
aborted shoots, the elongated shoots producing only bud-scales. In Abies and Picea the 
juvenile characteristic is completely retained; all the green leaves being scattered upon 
elongated shoots. In Larix and Cedrus we have the intermediate condition ; some leaves being 
scattered upon elongated shoots, others being clustered together upon contracted shoots. 
Again, in the Cupressinez we have the genera Cupressus and Juniperus, in both of which the 
leaves of the young seedlings are invariably needle-shaped and spreading like the leaves of the 
common Juniper. In almost all Cypresses this juvenile characteristic becomes wholly lost ; 
the leaves on the older plants being exclusively scale-like and appressed to the stem. In the 
section Oxycedrus of the genus Juniperus the primitive needle-like character of the leaves is 
completely retained. In the section Sabina of the same genus (to which J. virginiana, referred 
to by Dr Stark, belongs), we have the intermediate condition, some branches exhibiting juniper- 
like, others cypress-like foliage; and in the genus Cupressus, C. funebris exhibits the same 
phenomenon. Among other orders, we have an exact parallel to these cases in the well-known 
one presented by the Acacias. In all of these, the young seedlings have pinnate leaves. In 
VOle Ovi, PART TV. SL 
