178 Ar her. — Remarks on the Organization of the 
female cones of other species of W illiamsonia are known as impressions, and 
in one case as a petrifaction. In none of these is there any evidence that 
the axis projected beyond the zone of the interseminal scales. The female 
cone of W illiamsonia gigas appears to be quite exceptional in this respect. 
It is therefore extremely improbable that any organ at all was attached at 
the corona. 
Was there a Sterile Infundibulum? 
The question whether there was a sterile infundibulum may, I think, be 
almost dismissed. It is an idea which persists as a relic of the times when 
the nature of the whorl of male sporophylls was misunderstood, and probably 
the idea arose originally from Williamson’s Fig. 2 on his Plate 52. There is 
very little doubt that the organs in question represent simply the lower 
surface of the microsporophyll whorl. In this view I agree with Seward, 1 
as opposed to Nathorst 2 and Lignier. 3 Williamson himself regarded the 
specimen mentioned above as simply the other surface of the organ which 
he illustrated on Fig. 1 of the same plate. If any such organ did exist it is 
unknown to me, and it could only have been attached at the corona at the 
apex of the female flower, at which point indeed it has been restored by 
Lignier. 4 
Conclusions. 
While in the absence of continuity between the male organs of the 
cone of W illiamsonia gigas (L. and H.) and its axis it is impossible to prove 
the exact morphology of the fructifications of this plant, I conclude that the 
balance of probability points as follows in regard to the chief uncertainties 
which exist as to the organization of the fructifications of this fossil. 
(1) The cones were probably monosporangiate. 
(2) The female cone possessed a conical axis, sheathed in perianth 
segments below, and bearing seeds and interseminal scales above. The tip 
of the axis projected for about 2 cm. beyond the highest interseminal scales, 
as is also the case, but to a less extent, in W illiamsoniella coronata. In all 
probability no other organ was borne on this axis, either at the tip or else- 
where. 
(3) The male cone possessed an urn-shaped axis sheathed in perianth 
segments below. This axis was of the nature of a gonophore. On it was 
seated apically the whorl of partly united male sporophylls. It did not 
bear interseminal scales. 
(4) There is no evidence of any sterile infundibular organ attached to 
or terminating either cone. All the organs of these cones have been known 
since 1870 in continuity, except the male sporophyll whorl and its gono- 
phore. 
1 Seward (1917), vol. iii, p. 428. 2 Nathorst (1909), pp. 12-13. 3 Lignier (1907). 
4 Lignier (1903), Text-fig. 8, p. 35 ; see also Seward (1917), vol. iii, Fig. 548 on p. 432. 
