H. Hamshaw Thomas. 
252 
while that between the bracts is composed of large dark cells with 
thick walls (see Text-Fig. 31). On the adaxial side of the bundle 
a strand of sclerenchymatous fibres arises, which increases largely 
in bulk towards the apex of the bract, and forms the greater part 
of its free portion. On the other side, a layer of parenchymatous 
cells is seen, many of which are characterised by the dense black 
contents noticed by Hick. This tissue arises near the point where 
the bracts become free and increases in amount towards the apex. 
A layer of rudimentary pallisade tissue, very similar to that found 
in the leaves, forms the outer portion of the free bracts. This is 
usually badly preserved, and is only seen in a few places. A thin 
epidermis is also present. In this specimen the bracts of successive 
whorls seem to have only slightly overlapped one another. 
The lowest whorl of the cone apparently consists of bracts, 
and differs from those above it in a greater development of the thin- 
walled parenchymatous tissue in the disc, which is thus a little 
thicker, while its diameter is smaller. There is also a better develop¬ 
ment of pallisade tissue in the free parts of the bracts, and altogether 
they bear still closer resemblance to the leaves. Separating this 
whorl from the highest of the leaves, there is, however, a whorl of 
peculiar lateral organs (a) seen in Fig. 2. Unfortunately the only 
slide in which this is seen is not very well preserved in this region, 
and it is difficult to come to any certain conclusion as to the nature 
of this whorl. The tissue consists of large cells, not conspicuously 
thickened, and with little definite arrangement. In one place there 
is a group of rather elongated cells with one or two xylem tracheides. 
We may see here simply the fused bases of a whorl of leaves, but 
there are several reasons for believing that this is not the case. 
Slide No. 2 is cut tangentially to the cone in this region, and 
passes through the outer portion of the disc of the lowest whorl 
of bracts. Some of the members of the highest whorl of leaves are 
well seen, but between them and the disc, in the position of the 
tissue now in question, there are no traces of leaves, nor of any 
other organs. 
An examination of the external edge of the tissue shown in 
Fig. 2 leads to the conclusion that this whorl was simply a disc of 
parenchymatous tissue. Again, there is no indication of a leaf- 
or bract-base cut through transversely, but this argument is not 
conclusive owing to bad preservation. 
It may be suggested then that we have here a whorl of appen¬ 
dages differing from the bracts, leaves, and sporangiophores, and 
