78 Sinhott. — The Morphology of the 
throughout, though this reduction has not been uniformly progressive, but 
subject to great variation in degree within the same group. 
3. In typical Podocarpus the free bract is provided with a single 
bundle from the vascular cylinder of the cone and subtends the epimatium, 
an axillary structure exactly homologous with the ovuliferous scale, and 
which is supplied by two bundles with inverse orientation, each arising from 
one side of the bract gap. These eventually send two small strands into 
the chalaza. The ovule is inverted and is completely enveloped by the 
epimatium. The integument is adnate to the epimatium without and to 
the nucellus within. 
4. From this condition, closely resembling that of the Abietineae, 
there is an almost complete series through Podocarpus dacrydioides and 
D aery diuni to Microcachrys , Pherosphaera , Saxegothea , and Phyllocladus , in 
which are exhibited the following tendencies : the bract becomes fused to 
the epimatium and its single bundle may divide into a series of strands; 
the vascular system of the scale is reduced to little but the ovular supply, 
and its two bundles become fused for some distance to that of the bract, 
from the sides of which they eventually depart and bend upward adaxially, 
assuming an inverse orientation ; the ovule swings from an inverted to an 
almost erect position ; the epimatium becomes much reduced in proportion 
to the bract, and, instead of enclosing the ovule entirely, degenerates into 
a mere basal sheath or quite disappears ; the nucellus, integument, and 
epimatium become entirely free from one another. 
5. The male gametophyte is characterized by the presence of two 
primitive prothallial cells, which give rise subsequently to more or less 
vegetative tissue. At germination all the cells are represented by free 
nuclei save the body cell, the nucleus of which divides into the two male 
nuclei, one naked and the other surrounded by a protoplasmic body. 
6. In typical Podocarpus there are two well-developed wings on the 
pollen-grain, but in its sub-genus Dacry carpus there are three or four, a con- 
dition which also obtains in Microcachrys . In Dacrydium the young spore 
has always two large wings, but in certain species these are almost oblite- 
rated at maturity. The pollen of Phyllocladus has two much-reduced 
wings, but in that of Saxegothea there are none at all. 
7. The length of the reproductive cycle is limited to a single season in 
§ E up 0 do carpus , § Nageia , § Dacry carpus, Dacrydium Bidwillii , Phyllocladus , 
and apparently in Saxegothea and Microcachrys . It extends over two 
seasons in § Stachy carpus and in most of Dacrydium. 
8. Spongy tissue is best developed in § Eupodocarpus , and is somewhat 
reduced or entirely absent in the other members of Podocarpus and Dacry- 
dium. The germination of the spore and development of the embryo-sac 
occur as in most Conifers. A megaspore membrane is well developed 
everywhere save in § Dacry car pus, where it is somewhat reduced. The 
