An Abnormal Shoot of Pinus Thunbergii Part. 25 
this is succeeded by a brown cupule-like structure, apparently 
formed by a second pair of transversely-placed leaves, in which 
case the intervening median pair would be suppressed. Within the 
cupule is what appears to be a diminutive withered, black female 
cone, for it consists of a short axis bearing a number of scattered 
double foliar appendages, each of which may be compared with the 
double leaf formed by the “bract” and ovuliferous scale of the 
ordinary female cone, but no sign of ovules could be discovered. 
Reverting now to the afore-mentioned recurved fleshy leaves 
which occur singly (or with extra leaves of the axillary shoot on 
their adaxial side), in greatest number in the upper part of the shoot, 
it was determined that this recurved leaf is formed through the 
fusion, by their adaxial margins, of the two transversely-placed 
leaves which occur in so many of the axillary shoots, with which is 
incorporated, at least in the basal region, one or two of the suc¬ 
ceeding pair of leaves which may or may not undergo (this could 
scarcely be determined) some revolution in orientation. This mode 
of origin of the outward-arching scale could only be accurately 
determined by its anatomical investigation,' for although the slightly 
bilobed character of many of these scales seems to imply their 
compound nature, the exact mode of union of the component leaves 
could only be demonstrated when it was seen that the vascular 
bundles, forming a row of strands across the leaf, were orientated 
in such a way that their xylem was directed outwards (downwards). 
In the basal region of the leaf, besides this row of strands, were two 
others on the dorsal (adaxial) side which were irregularly orientated, 
as if the two foliar organs to which they belonged (represented 
by two conspicuous ridges), were undergoing a certain amount of 
revolution or torsion preparatory to their eventual more complete 
fusion, at a higher level, with the main leaf. 
Particular attention must now be directed to the comparison 
which may be made between these curious recurved leaves of the 
axillary shoot on the one hand and the ordinary “needles” of Sciado- 
pitys on the other. The “ needle ” of this latter plant is the result 
of fusion by their adaxial margins of the first two (transversely- 
placed) leaves of the shoot axillary to a scale-leaf. The recurved 
axillary leaves of Pinus Thunbergii (albeit abnormal) afforded, 
therefore, another case of vegetative leaves being formed in this 
way, the case of Sciadopitys being the only normal one known. 
1 One of the interesting cases in which the origin and nature of an organ 
can only be finally settled by the anatomical method of investigation. 
