Fagaceae, and its Bearing on the Affinities of the Group. 519 
In addition to the bundles in the wall, the central column of the ovary 
contains a circle of small vascular strands (Fig. 6, o.p.b.) which resolve 
themselves into six amphiphloic bundles passing into the funicles of the six 
seeds. Also in Castanopsis , but in that genus only, three tiny vascular 
strands (Fig. 6 , ip.b.) occupy the middle of this circle ; these only 
become lignified and therefore easily distinguishable in the course of the 
second year of development of the ovary ; they can be traced above the 
point where the ovular bundles pass out of the column, and occupy 
the intermediate positions opposite the septa. Each probably represents 
two fused marginal bundles of the carpels, or they may possibly have 
Fig. 6. Transverse section of lower part of ovary. A, b, c, &c., a, b , c , &c. , main bundles of 
the ovary wall; o.p.b., outer placental bundles; i.p.b., inner placental bundles. 
originally supplied additional ovules at a higher level than the two now 
constantly present in each loculus. They may possibly be axial, but their 
orientation does not support this view, and in Castanopsis no upgrowth of 
the apex of the flower axis between the carpels was observed, though 
in Quercus cerris such an elongation of the axis occurs. 
In the pedicel of the flower, below the level at which the loculi 
begin to appear, another set of twelve bundles (Fig. 7, c.b.) is present, 
alternating with the main bundles (Fig. 7, rn.bi) of the ovary wall. 
These supply the carpels, and originate as a rule by the fusion of two 
branches from the neighbouring main bundles. While still in the base 
of the ovary these carpellary bundles break up into a number of vascular 
strands. The lowest, running inwards, fuse with similar branches to form 
