12 
Scott. — On the Fertile Shoots of 
Other Shoots associated with Seeds. 
We have now to consider two examples of shoots which show in their 
structure no relation to Cordaianthus , and indeed resemble vegetative buds 
rather than inflorescences, but are more or less closely associated with seeds 
of the Mitrospermum type. As^we shall see, they show an unmistakable 
relation to Mesoxylon , though there are reasons for doubting whether they 
can properly be included in that genus. 
The specimen to be first described is represented by seven transverse 
sections, the series running from below upwards. 1 The axis, with the 
leaf-bases, has a diameter of about 8 mm. The whole surface is clothed 
with the massive leaf-bases, the true cortex being comparatively narrow 
(PL I, Figs. 7, 8). At some places the leaf-base is seen expanding into 
the lamina, and imperfectly preserved laminae of other leaves surround the 
specimen. 
There is a somewhat narrow zone of wood, about 10-20 elements in 
thickness ; in places the centripetal xylem of the leaf-traces can be 
recognized, most clearly in the second section (2599). The most interesting 
point is that the leaf-traces are single where they pass through the wood. 
They run out horizontally, so that they can be traced far out into the leaf- 
base, forking once or twice after reaching the cortex. Farther out in their 
course they become more vertical, and undergo repeated divisions, for in 
the outer part of a leaf-base as many as nine little bundles, cut very 
obliquely, have been observed (PI. I, Fig. 7, l.b.). The structure of 
the wood and also the Dictyoxylon cortex are like those of a Mesoxylon , 
and the pith, so far as can be judged from transverse sections, appears to 
have been discoid, for the displaced diaphragms are shown (PI. I, Figs. 7, 8). 
Periderm was formed, cutting off the leaf-bases. 
The leaves in connexion with or surrounding the axis have many 
bundles, and are of the ordinary Cordaites or Mesoxylon type. The xylem 
of the foliar bundles appears to be mainly centripetal. In the upper 
sections (e. g. 2603) periderm had formed in the leaves, usually on both 
surfaces — an interesting point, which strongly suggests a resting, vegeta- 
tive bud. In the upper part of the specimen the wood diminishes in 
thickness. 
There is nothing in the structure of this specimen to indicate that 
it was a fertile shoot. It is, however, associated with seeds, apparently of 
Mitrospermum compression, of which five specimens occur in the series, 
two of them lying near the bud. One of the seeds shows signs of 
youth. 
1 The numbers of the sections in my collection are 2598 to 2604. They were received in 
August, 1910, from Mr. Lomax, who described the specimen as ‘a small apical shoot’, and called 
attention to the association with the seeds of Cardiocarpon (now Mitrospermum ) compressum . 
