78 



they be united so as to form cups or conceptacles, or separated by 

 fissures so as to be more or less isolated. These organs may be borne 

 all over the parietes, as in the Fucaceae — within the rim of the isolated 

 peltate process, as in Equisetaceae — on the upper surface of the process 

 near the axis in some Pinaceae, or beneath, as in the peltate scale of 

 Cycadaceae, or on the sides, as in their leaf-like processes. Then the 

 anthers are on the under surface of certain male cone scales ; and 

 beneath, likewise, in the peltate male scales of the Taxaceae. Thus, 

 whilst in Fucaceae they are borne all over the parietes, their arrangement 

 in higher plants shows that there is do part of the parietes of the 

 isolated processes on which they may not likewise be found. 



The so-called " scales" therefore are, in point of fact, essentially 

 reproductive organ bearers, and hence should properly be regarded as 

 peduncles. Peduncles, it is admitted, are not unfrequently various in 

 form ; they are not always stalk -like and round, but are occasionally 

 flattened and fasciated. 



In certain plants, such as Ruscus aculeatus, they even assume the 

 appearance of leaves ; and, when this is seen to be the case, there is no 

 reason forfeeling a difficulty, when in cones the processes become flattened 

 and scale-like. 



Taking these things into consideration, it is impossible to agree with 

 Dr. Lindley, when he contends that cone scales are metamorphosed 

 leaves. Whilst they differ from true leaves in function, in form, and 

 in structure, they differ also in occasionally arising, as in Pinus silves- 

 tris, from the axils of degraded or rudimentary leaves. This is what 

 occurs likewise in the case of R. aculeatus ; and, whilst Dr. Lindley 

 argues that leaves may arise in the axils of leaves, it cannot be denied 

 that it is not what usually happens. Schleiden, indeed, in putting for- 

 ward the view that these peduncle processes of the cone were axillary 

 buds of carpellary scales, broadly stated that folium in axilla folii would 

 be without example in the vegetable world. 



Accepting the cone as a form of inflorescence composed of a number of 

 peduncles arranged in a peculiar manner, and remembering the tendency 

 to separation of parts in development, certain forms will be seen to fall in 

 easily as more highly modified forms of this. For instance, we may place 

 here, in relationship to it, the superficially dissimilar, but really analo- 

 gous, many-branched spadix of Palmaceae ; and, in fact, if we look at a 

 compound fruit of one of the Pandanaceae, where the flowers are borne on 

 a spadix, we discover (as in Freycinetia imbricata) a superficially striking 

 resemblance to the strobilus, arising from the manner in which the 

 peduncles are arranged. 



III. 



Por a better understanding of the author's views, reference is re- 

 quested to the accompanying illustrations. 



In Fig. 1, Plate I., the receptacle of a Fucus is represented in ver- 

 tical section. The reproductive organs are contained in the conceptacles^ 

 which, communicating outwards by pores, give the margin an indented 



