The Structure of the Female Strobilus in 
Gnetum Gnemon. 
BY 
EMILY M. BERRIDGE, B.Sc., F.L.S. 
With four Figures in the Text. 
V ERY full and detailed accounts of the vascular supply to the flowers 
of various species of Gnetum have recently been published, 1 but in no 
case apparently do the ovules investigated show a certain series of complexes 
which constitute a striking feature in the vascular system of the female 
‘flower’ of Gnetum Gnemon . 
In this species, as in other Indo-Malayan forms, 2 the 13-14 bundles 
which traverse the base of the female flower all spring from the bundles 
which supply the cupule, and only a very few late-formed branches 
originate directly from the main vascular system of the inflorescence. Each 
of these bundles, on reaching the level of insertion of the outermost of the 
three coats of the ovule, becomes very broad and gives off two traces to this 
outer coat or ‘ perianth ’ ; then turning inwards and upwards each passes on 
to supply the two inner coverings, which are probably best regarded as 
integuments. 
Just above the point of departure of the two traces to the outermost 
coat (Fig. 1 ,A>A) each main bundle gives rise to a curious complex of 
vascular strands. 
Fig. 3 shows a tangential section of one of these, while Figs. 3 and 
4, representing two sections through a single complex, show more clearly 
the relative positions of the main bundle, m. y the traces p^p 2 passing to 
the outermost covering of the ovule, the complex, c., and the main bundle, 
int., passing on towards the integuments. 
Although, as in this case, the complexes often take the form of loops, 
they also frequently consist of three or four vascular strands, which end 
Thoday, M. G. (’ll) : The Female Inflorescence and Ovules of Gnetum Africanum , with notes 
on Gnetum scandens. Ann. of Bot., xxv, p. 1101. Pearson, II. H. W. : The Microsporangium and 
Microspore of Gnetum. Ann. of Bot., xxvi, p. 614. 
Thoday, M. G. : Note on the Inflorescence Axis of Gnetum. Ann. of Bot., xxvi, p. 621. 
[Annals of Botany, Vol. XXVI. No. CIV. October, 1912.] 
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