Morphology of Cycadean Sporangia. 423 
velopment and structure is deferred in the hope of obtaining 
cones of the required age. 
The resemblance which Stangeria presents in general habit 
to a Fern is striking, and has been frequently referred to. 
In the light of other facts, which make the origin of the 
Cycads from Fern-like ancestors probable, considerable im- 
portance may be attached to this; and it is possible that, 
in the appearance of the vegetative organs, Stangeria presents 
primitive and not secondarily acquired characters. The fact 
that structural peculiarities of morphological importance, 
which in other Cycads are confined to the leaves, have been 
found in the peduncles of both male and female cones of this 
species 1 , made it a matter of some interest to ascertain 
whether Stangeria differs from other Cycads in the structure 
and development of its sporangia. 
The material was obtained from a large plant, growing in 
the Victoria regia house at Kew, which produces numerous 
male cones. A series of these, from the first appearance of 
the tip of the cone among the scale-leaves covering the apex, 
to the mature cone with dehiscing sporangia, was collected. 
The mature sporophylls 2 are inserted on the axis of the 
cone by short stalks. Each consists of a horizontal portion, 
the lower surface of which is closely covered with sporangia, 
and which is continued into the scale-like terminal part. 
This is clothed with hairs on its outer surface, and is almost 
vertical, overlapping the .sporophylls immediately above, and 
affording efficient protection to the sporangia during their 
development. A slight depression in the outer margin of the 
area covered with sporangia indicates its origin by the junction 
of two lateral groups of sori. The sporangia differ somewhat 
from one another in size and shape. A row of large oval 
sporangia can always be distinguished at the outer margin, 
and within this is a similar but less regular row ; these two 
rows of sporangia correspond to the outer row of sori. The 
other sporangia are slightly smaller, and are arranged in sori, 
1 Scott, loc. cit. 
2 Figured in Bot. Mag., Vol. 85, PI. 5121. 
