1901). J On Lagenostoma Lomaxi, the Seed of Lyginodendron. 479 



and actually engage with broad low grooves on the surface of the wall 

 of the pollen-chamber. 



The vascular system of the seed enters as a single supply-bundle at 

 the chalazal papilla, and branches, a little below the base of the macro- 

 spore, into nine radially-running bundles. Each of these bundles 

 passes, without further branching, to the apex of the seed, running 

 outside the macrospore and a little distance below the surface. At 

 the canopy the bundles enter the chambers and end at the tips. 



Lagenostoma Lomaxi was thus a seed or seed-like structure, detached 

 as a whole and containing pollen-grains in the remarkable cleft-like 

 pollen-chamber ; the integument in its free part, when compared with 

 that of Williamson's Lagenostoma jjhysoides, suggests a number of 

 originally free arms or processes that have become laterally fused into 

 a complex, chambered organ. 



The seed, L. Lomaxi, is in some cases still attached to its pedicel ;* 

 the great peculiarity of this seed, as compared with other members of 

 the genus, is that when young, and sometimes even at maturity, it is 

 found enclosed in an envelope or cupule, springing from the pedicel 

 just below the base of the seed, and extending above the micropyle — 

 at least in young specimens. The cupule appears to have been ribbed 

 below, and deeply lobed in its upper part; in form it may be roughly 

 compared to the husk of a hazel-nut — of course on a very small scale. 



The pedicel and cupule bear numerous capitate glands, of which 

 some are practically sessile, others shortly stalked, while in others 

 again the stalk is of considerable length. The head, or secreting 

 portion of the gland, which is spherical in form, is almost invariably 

 empty, only the multicellular wall persisting. The tissue of the stalk 

 of the gland, consisting of many layers of cells, is preserved, though 

 in a somewhat disorganised state. 



These cupular glands present the closest agreement in size, form, 

 and structure with the glands which occur on the vegetative organs 

 of Lyginodendron Oldhamium,j and which are especially abundant on 

 the particular form of that plant found in association with Lagenos- 

 toma Lomaxi. Both on petiole and cupule the majority of the glands 

 are short, those which are not sessile being commonly about 0*4 mm. in 

 height. Long-stalked glands, exceeding a millimetre in height, some- 

 times occur both on the vegetative organs and on the cupule. The 

 dimensions of the head of the gland agree exactly on cupule and 

 petiole, the diameter averaging about 0*2 mm. in each case. In both 

 the stalk is usually somewhat narrower than the head, except at the 

 base, where it is often considerably enlarged. On the stem, as might 



* Cf. Williamson, loc. cit., Tart VIII, fig. 68 (£. ovoides). 



t It has long been realised that the name Lyginodendron Oldham mm charac- 

 terises a type rather than a species. It is probable that the very glandular form 

 occurring at Dulesgate may deserve specific rank. 



2 M 2 



