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THE AMERICAN NATURALIST [Vol. XLI 



separation of the stalk nucleus from the antheridial cell the latter has 

 its nucleus divided into two equal sperm nuclei, but there is no division 

 wall formed between them. Both sperm nuclei enter the archegonium. 

 Probably only one megaspore develops a prothallium. The membrane 

 is almost wanting and in this respect as well as in some others the 

 Taxaceae are regarded as less primitive than the other conifers. The 

 development of the prothallial tissue follows the usual course found 

 in the Coniferae. The archegonia, which are usually four in number, 

 offer no marked peculiarities. There are two or three neck cells, 

 and Lawson failed to confirm the statement of Arnoldi that the nuclei 

 of the jacket cells pass into the egg cell, and he does not think that the 

 "proteid vacuoles" of the egg have any connection with the nuclei 

 of the jacket cells. A ventral canal cell nucleus is always found. 



Of the two sperm nuclei that enter the egg only one is functional. 

 After fertilization the fusion nucleus divides until eight free nuclei 

 are formed. The next divisions are accompanied by cell walls. Only 

 one embryo is normally formed from each archegonium. The embryo 

 shows a more or less clear division into four tiers, of which the lower- 

 most forms a cap over the apex of the embryo proper. Very long 

 suspensor cells develop from the tier above the embryo proper and 

 these push the embryo into the endosperm. Secondary suspensor 

 cells are later developed from the upper part of the embryo itself. 



The author's conclusions as to the systematic position of Ceplialo- 

 taxus are as follows: "From this account of the ganieto{)l»ytes it 

 becomes obvious that Cephalotaxus cannot be regarded as a primitive 

 type of the Coniferae, although this is contrary to the results obtained 

 from certain studies on the sporophytes Worsdell regards Cephalo- 

 taxus as the most ancient of the coniferous genera and concludes that 

 this genus forms in a measure the connecting link between the Cycada- 

 ceae and Coniferae By comparing the garaetophytes of Cephalo- 

 taxus with the Cycadales and with the Coniferales, I cannot accept 

 Worsdell's view. In fact I am forced to the conclusion that this 



principal tonn' f..r studv tlic incense cMlar, Lihornlrus drrnrrm.s; of 

 the Faci(ir ('<,a^r. .me wf (he nnMct members of the fan>ily. The 



\\)llination occurs in Lihnmlnis dfrurrms as gro\v,i at .-tanford 

 late in ALirch or early in April. Like the other Cupressincae the 

 pollen spores are small and each contains two cells, the smaller one 



