PODOCARPINEM 



361 



It is apparent from the foregoing paragraphs that in two genera 

 of the Podocarpinejie there are unusually numerous prothallial 

 cells present in the microspore, which are derived by the subsecjuent 

 anticlinal divisions of the two primitive prothallial cells. T\vaX 

 these features are perfectly normal ones in the Podocarpinca' i> 

 made clear by the fact that all our material is from plants grown 

 in their native habitat and presumably under natural condition^. 



These features are fiinluT parallchMl by x\w coiiditions presented 

 by the microspore of tlic araiu aiiaii uoiuis Aijathis. The question 

 here arises if we arc lo i-coanl tlic rich j)r(itliallial (Midowment of 

 the Podocarpinca- as tlir iviciilioii cf a tVaimv possessed by tlie 

 ancestral ( "(.tiifcral<- <.r a^ ;, ivccut < nio-ciicii.' adaptation, which 



tions found in the Gymnosperms in uvii.Tal, particiihuly the 

 more ancient of those still living. In the primitive /(.idogaiuous 



