Female ‘Flower ’ zVz Coniferae. 49 
into two distinct leaves ; and finally representing two scales 
enclosing a small bud. 
In Pice a alba a cone had proliferated into a short vegetative 
shoot bearing a few leaves and a bud. There was an abrupt 
transition between this and the normal part of the cone 
below. The terminal bud eventually developed into a leafy 
branch. 
From the study of the development of a cone of Pinus 
Montana var. Pumilio , he draws the following conclusions:— 
‘ (1) That the seminiferous scale arises in the axil of the bract 
just like a bud (Fig. 4), and can aptly be compared with 
a young bud and bract in Bryonia dioica , so that the develop¬ 
ment agrees with what was seen in the monstrosity. (2) The 
organs considered by R. Brown as ovules agree in their early 
origin and further development with the ovules of flowering 
plants in general. (3) The peculiar form of the seminiferous 
scale in the Pine cannot be properly understood without 
taking into account its growth, which extends over several 
years, and, after a period of rest, is once more renewed, this 
being connected with the slow process of fertilization.’ 
He then proceeds to describe the development of the cone- 
scjile in Cupressineae and Taxodineae. At the end of the 
paper he draws the following general conclusions :— 
‘I. Both the normal development of the flowers and the 
various sports strengthen R. Brown’s observation that the 
ovules are naked. 
‘ II. The cone-scale in Abietineae is an open carpel, arising 
as a bud, and representing a flower. It consists (at least in 
Picea and Larix) of a fusion of two leaves, corresponding 
to the young scale-leaves of the ordinary bud. The notching 
at the apex of the scale is an indication of this fusion. 
‘III. The cone-scales in Cupressineae correspond to the 
bracts in Abietineae. They only rarely preserve their original 
form (in Actinostrobus ); they usually undergo a transforma¬ 
tion which does not result from a fusion of bract and carpel, 
but is the same change which occurs when a leaf becomes 
peltate. The cone-scale consists, therefore, of a single leaf. 
E 
