290 Lawson . — The Gametophytes and Embryo of the 
and Cryptomeria (Lawson, '’04), fail to develop a membrane between the egg 
and ventral canal-nuclei. A similar condition is also found in Sequoia (Law- 
son, ’04), Podocarpus (Coker, ’02), Cephalotaxus (Lawson, ’07), and probably 
also Torreya (Robertson, ’04). In fact, it is only in members of the Abie- 
tineae that a ventral canal -cell has been found. In all other Conifers this 
primitive vestigial structure seems to be represented only by a nucleus. It 
has been a matter of considerable difficulty to determine which type of 
archegonium among the Coniferales is the most primitive, and this has 
given rise to much speculation. But now that so many forms have been 
investigated, it seems to me that the type of the Cupressineae, and all others 
where the ventral canal-cell is represented only by a nucleus, ought to be 
regarded as less primitive than that where a definite ventral canal-cell is 
formed, which seems to be characteristic of the Abietineae. This is 
merely emphasizing a point of phylogenetic importance which I recently 
suggested in the case of Cephalotaxus (Lawson, ’07), and which has impressed 
itself more strongly upon me by a study of Libocedrus , Thuja , Cupressus , 
Chamaecyparis , and Junipens. 
In all of these types the size, shape, internal structure, and the method 
of grouping of the archegonia are very much alike. They all very much 
resemble Thuja occidentals , first described by Land (’02). There are one 
or two points, however, in Land’s description which I was unable to confirm. 
He states that almost immediately after the last anticlinal wall is formed 
the neck-cells begin to disorganize, and they are soon almost entirely 
assimilated by the central cells, which at this time are increasing in volume 
at a very rapid rate. My own observations convince me that the neck-cells 
in all of the Cupressineae which I have examined remain intact until just 
about the time of fertilization. Fig. ]6 represents a section through an 
archegonial complex at the time the ventral canal-nucleus is being organ- 
ized. It will be observed that the neck-cells are undisturbed. In regard 
to the number of archegonia, Land states that in Thuja occidentals the 
complex usually contains but six. Fig. 18 represents a cross-section of 
the group of archegonia in Thtija orientals showing the presence of twenty- 
three. Several preparations showed as many as twenty-four. In none of 
the Cupressineae which I have examined have I found as few as six arche- 
gonia in a single complex. In all other particulars the archegonia of this 
latter species of Thuja agrees with Land’s description. The organization of 
the ventral canal-nucleus takes place in identically the same manner as in 
the former species. Fig. 19 shows the position of the central nucleus during 
its division. Fig. 21 represents the spindle of this mitosis more highly 
magnified. Fig. 20 indicates the relative position of the egg-nucleus and 
ventral canal-nucleus some time after the organization of the latter. It will 
be noticed that the egg-nucleus has enlarged considerably. 
Enveloping the archegonial complex in Libocedrts — and this is true 
