THE EVOLUTION OF PLANTS 
603 
FIG. 424. Cycadoidea Wielandi. At left, a finely preserved trunk 
bearing many ovulate cones with seeds approaching maturity, and a lesser 
number of either young or abortive cones. /', Receptacle of a shed or 
non-preserved cone with surrounding bracts yet present; /", two cones 
broken away during erosion, with a portion of the basal infertile pedicel 
yet remaining; m, four cones eroded down to the surface of the armor, 
in this instance about or a little beneath the level of the lowermost 
seeds; y, three of the dozen or more very young cones, in some cases known 
to be simply ovulate and to be regarded as having aborted or else as be- 
longing to a later and sparser series of fructifications than the seed-bearing 
cones present, the latter unquestionably representing the culminant fruit- 
producing period in the life of this cycad; s (over lower arrow), the ovulate 
strobilus shown at right in its natural position, this photograph having 
been made before the cone was cut out by a cylindrical drill. X about 
14; at right, longitudinal section of the small ovulate strobilus cut from 
its natural position on the trunk as denoted by the arrow s, in photograph 
i. c (upper arrow), seed with dicotyledonous embryo preserved, cotyle- 
dons being similarly present in the lowermost seed on the left-hand side 
of the strobilus; s, traces of hypogynous staminate disk; b, bracts; /, leaf 
bases. X about J^. (After Wieland.) 
