Mesoxylon and an Allied Genus. 3 
an appendage has been observed in several cases, but its nature is open to 
question (see p. 7). 
The main shoot has a certain amount of hypodermal sclerenchyma 
which extends into the branch, and is especially well developed on the 
abaxial side of the bracts. 
The next section (2782) is not so complete, but at the end (a) where the 
little round stele was given off in 2781, we now see the base of a branch 
attached, with a round medullate stele just like that of the former branch. 
It thus appears that the relatively large stele of the branch, with its pith and 
distinct bundles, is an expansion of the little pithless stele first given off from 
the main stele of the shoot. The relative dimensions are — for the branch- 
stele when first given off, about 0-25 mm. ; for the stele when it has passed 
into the branch, about 0*7 mm. ; measuring to the outside of the wood only 
in each case. The branch seen in the previous section (at the end marked B) 
is in this case (2782) only represented by bracts. 
In the third section (2783) (PI. I, Fig. 1) the branch of which we saw 
the base before (at the A end) is here quite free. The bracts and their bases 
are well shown, but the stele has perished. At the opposite end of the sec- 
tion (b) another little stele is being given off ; it is cut obliquely enough to 
show that tracheides extend to the centre. There are some irregularities in 
the wood of the main stele here which may be pathological. Off this end 
a branch or bud is present in oblique section — perhaps the upper part of the 
first branch. 
In the fourth section (2784) a little branch-stele is again detached 
(at the A end). It shows the small distal bundle, which here seems to have 
just separated from the branch-stele. 
In the fifth section (2785) the branch-stele (at the A end) has moved 
farther out ; it has expanded slightly and acquired a pith. The little distal 
bundle has moved far out into the cortex. Beyond the opposite end 
there are some bracts, cut longitudinally, and at a greater distance are two 
buds in transverse section, each showing both the bracts and a stout appen- 
dage lying outside the bract-cycles (PI. I, Fig. 2). The presence of these 
buds is explained by the next sections, which show that the axillary shoot 
curved, so as to be cut in a more longitudinal direction in the later sections ; 
the buds evidently belong to the part of the shoot which runs almost longi- 
tudinally. It is not necessary to follow the series farther in detail ; enough 
has been said to show that the axillary shoot gives off distichous leafy 
branches alternately, the plane of branching being that of the flattened stele 
of the shoot. The branch, besides the small leaves or bracts, bears a further 
appendage, the nature of which is discussed below (p. 7). 
Anatomically each branch receives a stele from the main shoot ; it is 
small when first given off, but rapidly expands and becomes medullated. 
Each bract contains a single vascular bundle, while the appendage has 
