480 Lagenostoma Lomaxi. the Seed of Lyginodendron. [Mar. 19, 



be expected, the glands are usually somewhat larger than on petiole 

 or eupule. 



As a rule, the structure of the glands on the vegetative organs is 

 well preserved, the secretory tissue in the head being perfect. But 

 occasionally the vegetative glands are found in the same state of 

 preservation as those on the eupule, with the head hollow, owing to 

 disappearance of the secretory mass. Where Ave thus have the two 

 organs in a corresponding state of preservation, the agreement between 

 the vegetative glands of Lyginodendron and those on the cupule of 

 Lagenostoma Lomaxi is found to be exact. 



There is no other known plant from the Coal-measures with glands 

 at all similar to those described, nor is it likely that any unknown 

 Gymnosperm should so exactly resemble Lyginodendron in these charac- 

 ters. On the ground, then, of the glandular structure we are led to 

 the conclusion that the seed Lagenostoma Lomaxi can have belonged to 

 no other plant than Lyginodendron Oldhamium, and more particularly to 

 the glandular form of that type with which the seed is associated. 



The state of preservation of the glands and of the cupule as a 

 whole, indicates clearly that this organ, as we find it, was in an effete 

 condition, having, no doubt, already discharged its functions while the 

 seed which it protected was still quite young. 



The vascular system of the cupule was well developed, and is very 

 fairly preserved. A number of bundles branched off from the main 

 strand of the pedicel, and traversed the cupule throughout its whole 

 extent. The structure of the large bundle, seen in the pedicel, agrees 

 with that of a petiolar strand in Lyginodendron. The minute charac- 

 ters of the tracheides are also in close agreement with those observed 

 in the xylem of the foliar organs of the same plant. 



Hence, characters presented by the internal anatomical structure 

 strengthen the conclusion drawn from a comparison of the glands, and 

 thus further support the attribution of Lagenostoma Lomaxi to Lygino- 

 dendron. 



The evidence thus indicates that in a transitional type, such as 

 Lyginodendron Oldhamium, with leaves wholly fern-like in structure and 

 form, but with decided Cycadean as well as Eilicinean characters in the 

 anatomy of stem and root, the seed habit had already been fully 

 attained, as fully, at any rate, as in any known Palaeozoic Gymnosperm. 

 Lyginodendron retains, so far at least as its vegetative structure is 

 concerned, the intermediate position already assigned to it, but, whereas 

 the fern-like characters have hitherto seemed to preponderate, the 

 discovery of the seed inclines the balance strongly on the Gymno- 

 spermous side. It is not likely that Lyginoelendron stood alone in this ; 

 we must now be prepared to find, what has long been recognised as a 

 possibility, that many of the plants grouped under Cycadofilices 

 already possessed seeds, and thus that a considerable proportion of the 



