107 



In " Kurztriebe " of weaker development, however, flowers with a 

 single ovule with a rather slender stalk are often met with ; and the cross 

 sections of such a stalk sometimes show one or two fibrovascular bundles 

 similarly situated as those of the petiole of the foliage leaf, while sections 

 of the stalk of a normal two-ovuled flower show generally four bundles 

 so arranged as to have two planes of symmetry. A flower-stalk with 

 one or two fibrovascular bundles is therefore to be considered as equiva- 

 lent to a leaf-stalk, the petiole of the carpellary leaf. 



In the cross sections of the stalk of a many-ovuled flower we 

 And, as a rule, as many fibrovascular bundles as the ovules ; and each 

 bundle divides into two in its course, previous to its entrance to the 

 stalklet of each ovule; so that in a cross section of the stalklet we 

 find a pair of fibrovascular bundles similary situated as those in the 

 petiole of the foliage leaf. 



Although a great number of specimens have been studied, no foliar 

 structure like a bract has been found subtending the stalked ovule. 



These facts together with the formation of ovules upon the foliage 

 leaves, present a strong evidence of the foliar nature of the ovule, in 

 accordance with the view of Van Tieghem, Eichler, Celakovsky, &c, 

 and contrary to the view of Strasburger and others, who consider it as 

 an organ of axial nature. 



In the male flowers, stamens with three anthers are often met with. 

 I have also found a brachyblast consisting of scaly leaves around 

 the base and a male inflorescence, in which there is a single foliage 

 leaf of weaker development. 



As to the cause of the carpellody and staminody of the foliage 

 leaves, I am not yet ready to express any definite opinion ; but the 

 multiplication and prolification of the floral organs are mostly associated 

 with hypertrophy. 



Conclusion : — 1. The prominent edges of the stony part of the seed 

 correspond to the margin of the carpellary leaf; and that is why there are 

 neither fibrovascular bundles, nor even any special cell rows found in 

 them. 



2. The ovule is an organ of foliar nature, and the cup-shaped swell- 

 ing at its base is the reduced portion of the lamina of the carpellary leaf. 



3. The anther is an organ of foliar nature, and its knob-like 

 terminal scale (" Endschuppe ") is the reduced portion of the lamina 

 of the staminal leaf. 



