THE MICROGAMETOPHYTE OF THE PODO- 

 CARPINE.E^ 



E. C. JEFFREY AND M. A. CHRYSLER 



Although at the present time the views in regard to the rela- 

 tionships of the Coniferales depend very largely on the study of 

 their gametophytic or sexual generation, our knowledge in regartl 

 to the gametophyte of the coniferous families is often very meager. 

 The two families concerning which information is actually most 

 needed are the Podocarpineae and the Araucarineae, exotics con- 

 fined chiefly to the southern hemisphere. There is a prospect that 

 our ignorance in regard to the Araucarineae will soon be less dense 

 than it is at present, a consummation devoutly to be desired on 

 account of the prevailing views, which make them the most ancient 

 of the Coniferales. It is proposed in the present article to describe 

 certain features of the male sexual generation of the Podocarpineae 

 observed in material which we owe to the kindness of Dr. Cockayne 

 of Christchurch, New Zealand, and Dr. Treub, Director of the 

 Royal Gardens at Buitenzorg, Java. To both of these we tender 



made it possible for us to study souw of tlu- Aiistiala-iaii i;tMU'ra 

 of the Podocarpineae. The material ar our (lis[)o>al wa- fixed 

 in formaline or alcohol and conse(|uently leaves soiiiethinu to be 

 desired in the preservation of cytological details. A> we shall 

 however confine ourselves to the gross features of inielear structure 

 which do not suffer seriously by the methods of pre>ervation de- 

 scribed, this will not be a serious disadvautaue. 



The first species to be consideretl is Pmhtcarpus pol if.sfdchi/a , 

 material of which we owe to Dr. Treiih. Director of the 15otanic 

 Gardens at Buitenzorg. The male cones in our pos-^ession are 

 in various stages of anthesis; but some of them >ii(.\v (juiie young 

 anthers or microsporophylls in the ui)|)er n-oion of tiu> axi-. This 

 feature has made it possible for us to follow step l>y >te|> the 

 development of the male gametopli_vt<- u[) to tlie time of the ^lied- 



' Contributions from the Phanerogiunic I.a!)r.rat<.i i.'< ut Harvard I ni verity. 

 No. 8. 



355 



