Female Strobilus in Podocarpus. 533 
and the stigmatic surface of the apex shows pollen-grains lodged on it, and 
the cells dense starch contents. 
The megaspore cell divides about the time of pollination, as described 
by Miyake in Cunninghamia ( 34 ) and by Miyake and Yasui in Psendolarix 
( 35 ). It is limited by the slightly cuticularized megaspore membrane 
(PI. XLIX, Fig. 9, m. m) and shows nuclear division. The cells of the 
nucellus surrounding the female gametophyte form two or three tapetal 
layers of smaller rectangular cells with denser contents and more active 
nuclei, which are constantly being absorbed by the growing megaspore 
(Fig. 9, tap .). In an older stage (Fig. 13) where the female gameto- 
phyte is much enlarged, filling the centre of the nucellus, the former is too 
contracted to make out the exact stage, but no cell-walls can be traced 
in the endosperm, which is definitely outlined by the megaspore membrane. 
Starch and tannin are present in the cells of the stigmatic apex of the 
nucellus. The tapetum, showing disintegration of cells, limits the cavity 
formed by the prothallus. The usual nutritive region of tannin and starch 
cells is seen at the base of the nucellus and of the integument (Fig. 13, tan . 
and st. c .). 
§ Nageia. 
In § Nageia and § Stachycarpus, in the species described, the cone 
consists of a peduncle, or so-called * fertile branch clothed with scale 
leaves, and succeeded by six to eight strap-shaped bracts, of fleshy con- 
sistency, with their long bases fused with the axis. 
The apparent opposite and decussate arrangement of the younger 
stages is subsequently lost on elongation of the axis, as the bract laminae 
are shed before fertilization, leaving only scars which show a spiral sequence. 
The strobilus organization is therefore limited to the younger stages ; 
there is no secondary modification of the bract bases, so that the 
■ receptaculum * is described as not being developed. 
P. vitiensis. 
P. vitiensis was provisionally placed in § Nageia by Pilger ( 40 , p. 59) 
on the strength of its vegetative leaves being opposite and broad towards 
the base. He admits that the leaves are narrower than those of the other 
species in this section, also that the <P flowers do not agree. The $ flowers 
were unknown to him and are now described for the first time. 
In a former paper ( 26 , p. 183) the position of this species in § Nageia is 
questioned, and its inclusion in § STACHYCARPUS suggested, from the 
similarity in habit and in the position of the 0* and ? flowers to P.ferru - 
ginea . On anatomical investigation the leaves in P. vitiensis were found 
to possess one vein, whereas it is one of the distinguishing features of 
§ Nageia that in that section alone the leaves are pluri-veined ( 40 , p. 5). 
In the strobilus, however, the stone cells, which according to Pilger 
N n 
