596 
ME. F. 0. BOWER ON THE COMPARATIVE MORPHOLOGY OF THE 
Stangeria paradoxa. 
This genus of the CycadacecB approaches the Marattiacece more nearly in external 
aspect than the rest: the venation of the expanded pinnae, their small number, and 
the sheathing stipule are common characters, which at once assert themselves. The 
superficial resemblance is so strong that the plant was first described as a Fern by 
Kuntze.'* It was thus a matter of considerable interest to work over the development 
of the leaf in Stangeria paradoxa, and to compare it on the one hand with Angiopteris, 
and on the other with the rest of the Cycadctcece. 
In the first place, the idea suggests itself that there might be a closer correspondence 
between this plant and Angiopteris in the characters of the apical meristem than is 
found in other Cycadacece. Sections showed that this is not the case, the apex neither 
of the stem nor of the leaf of Stangeria showing any greater similarity to those of 
Angiopteris than that of Cyccis. 
The leaves appear as broad roundish swellings on the conical apex. At a very 
early period an outgrowth of the ventral face appears below the apex of the young 
phyllopodium, and results in the formation of a transverse weal or ridge, which is 
curved downwards at the lateral margin, and thus presents a convex upper surface 
(Plate 40, figs. 41, 42). This axillary stipule, as it may be called according to the 
present terminology, grows to a considerable size, and overarches in the first place 
the apex of the stem, and also the successively formed younger leaves (Plate 40, 
fig. 44). When seen from above it may be observed that there is a slight median 
emargination, which however is not very pronounced at any period. This structure 
appears to be the homologue of the similar structures in Angiopteris, Todea, and 
Ceratozamia. 
The part of the phyllopodium immediately above the sheath does not show clearly 
marked longitudinal weals (compare Angiopteris and Todea), though a winged 
structure is slightly apparent in the upper portions of the mature leaf in all the 
plants named which have this conformation at the base. Some time after the sheath 
is formed and considerably advanced, the pinnae make their appearance. Their 
number being small, and the material limited, I have been unable to observe the order 
of their development with certainty. As in other Cycads, they appear when young 
as rounded papillae, and are arranged in two longitudinal rows. There is some 
irregularity in the manner in which they are disposed at the apex of the phyllo¬ 
podium. In some leaves there are two equal pinnae placed symmetrically on either side 
of the apex (Plate 40, fig. 44), while the latter may be sometimes recognised at the 
back of them as a very minute projection.! In other cases there is a distinctly 
median pinna borne at the apex of the phyllopodium, or it may be that the 
apex of the phyllopodium itself grows on as an elongated winged structure, 
* Stangeria paradoxa—Lomarict coriacea , L. eriopus. Kuxtze, Linn, x., 102, 506, and xviii., 116. 
t Such an arrangement calls to mind that often found at the apex of the leaf of Botrychium or, as a 
still more reduced form of a similar arrangement, the apex of the leaf of Ginkgo. 
