6 
Scott . — On the Fertile Shoots of 
Nothing more of interest is shown in the series. In another section, 
apparently from the same specimen (2985), a detached axillary shoot 
is present close to the stem, but it does not show branching, for it is 
no doubt cut near the base. 
I have found no other specimens of Mitrospermum in this series 
besides the two mentioned above. In this case, therefore, their significance 
depends, not on their number, but on their close association with the fertile 
shoot. Whether the two seeds were originally attached to the shoot cannot 
be determined, but it is not improbable that this was the case. 
The specimen is inferior to that in the previous series ; in particular the 
organ which we have called the appendage of the branch is nowhere clearly 
shown, though it was almost certainly present, as the other characters agree 
so closely with those of the former specimen. The special interest of the 
shoot just described Ires in its close association, on the one hand, with 
Mitrospermum compression^ and on the other with a stem of Mesoxylon 
multirame bearing axillary shoots. From the structure of the fertile shoot, 
especially its narrow, flattened stele, there can be no doubt that it is of the 
same nature as the axillary shoots borne on the stem ; it evidently consti- 
tutes the upper part of a shoot, of which the base may have been still 
attached to the main stem.. 
There is another example of a fertile branch shown in a single section 
(3040) ; the specimen is associated with leaves of the Mesoxylon type, 
but not with a stem or with seeds. It is the best specimen for the general 
habit, as it is so little distorted. The shoot is seen in somewhat oblique 
transverse section, and measures about 5x2 mm. (PL I, Fig. 6). The 
Identity with the axillary shoots of Mesoxylon multirame is manifest (cf. 
Scott, 1918 , PI. XIII, Fig. 22). The constriction near one end of the section 
seems to be accidental. The stele is about 2 mm. long by only 0-37 mm. 
broad, and is thus a good deal flattened, though the whole shoot is not. 
As pointed out in a previous paper (Scott, 1918 , p. 443), the narrow form of 
the stele in these shoots is no doubt in the main the natural one. The 
secondary wood is three or four elements thick ; no centripetal xylem 
is preserved. The Dictyoxylon outer cortex is well developed ; dark 
elements (secretory sacs ?) are, as usual, present in the inner cortex. 
At one end of the section the shoot bears a large branch or bud, nearly 
3 mm. in diameter (PI. I, Fig. 6 , b). It consists of an axis, continuous 
with that of the shoot, and a number of bracts, several of which are in con- 
nexion with the axis, while one is free. The large medullate stele of the 
branch (o-8 mm. in diameter) is cut obliquely. On its distal side several 
leaf-trace bundles are seen on their way out to bracts. The dorsal bands of 
fibres in the bracts are well shown. 
The specimen thus exhibits the general characters of the fertile shoot 
clearly, but affords no new data. No distal appendage is shown, but the 
plane of section would probably have missed it. 
