m 



SEXUAL ORGANS IN CONIFERife. 



The flowers of this, and of some other Coniferae, may be single 

 and polyandrons, Mr. Lindley says, that this is impossible, but it 

 must be borne in mind, that no bractese, or scales, are found inter- 

 mixed among the anthers, which might be expected to be the case, 

 were each anther a male flower. I believe that in all genuine amenta, 

 scales will be found sub tending such anthers, or anther, as form a 

 distinct male flower. It is the case in the female inflorescence of 

 Pinus. In this genus there is a tendency towards the formation of 

 a perianth, at least if the expansion of the inner scales, and their 

 partial reflexion may be considered in this light. 



Bearing on portions of the above. We have to enquire whether ob- 

 literation of parts takes place most frequently in the male, or female 

 organs, and secondly, whether the want of correspondence of form 

 and number between the male and female flowers of unisexual plants, 

 be such, as to warrant us in not attaching much importance to their 

 non correspondence in Coniferae. 



With reference to the first, it may be urged that the anthers, each 

 of which forms a single male flower, are mere alterations of the 

 scales, which in all cases are developed round the lower part of each 

 male amentum. But this reasoning will not do, for there is no instance 

 of a flower being neither axillary or terminal, neither of which can 

 such a supposed ease be. The whole of the genera must be ex- 

 amined, for if bractese do exist sub tending the anthers in some, the 

 analogy is, that their absence in others is due to suppression. The 

 remaining points for solution must be post-poned. 



The scales of the female fruit of Cupressus pendula are analogous 

 to the membranous scales of Pinus, hence they are not carpellary 

 leaves, but bractese. This species is remarkable for the indefinite 

 number of its ovula. which are arranged irregularly, and in two se- 

 ries in the axil of each scale : these again are opposite, and decussate, 

 becoming by approximation quaternarily subverticillate. The ovula 

 as in Pinus, consist of one tegument perforate at its apex, and enclos- 

 ing a nucleus of ordinary form, they are erect, w^hile in that genus 

 they are inverted, pointing to, and not from the axis. It is this genas, 

 so far ai least as appears to me, that approximates to Gnetum, for sup- 

 posing the scales to be completely connivent, we shall have the in- 

 florescence of Gnetum, with this exception, that it is diclinous. See 

 Ephedra. This genus proves other interesting facts, first that bractese 



