602 
Browne.—Anomalous Traces in the 
a free trace, the middle and largest member two closely approximated 
strands, one free and the other showing the A anomaly. The third member 
also has a trace showing the A anomaly. This complex is followed by : 
5. A still larger complex consisting possibly of three, more probably 
of four, almost completely fused sporangiophores. This is traversed, firstly, 
by a small, unbranched free strand, running only to the base of a single 
sporangium ; next to this strand is a trace showing the A anomaly, and it 
seems doubtful whether these two belong to an unusually large bifascicular 
sporangiophore, or whether the lobe containing the small free strand repre¬ 
sents a partially aborted sporangiophore. Beyond the trace showing the 
A anomaly are two free traces, clearly belonging to different, though 
almost completely concrescent sporangiophores. The traces of this complex 
run at different levels, but there are, nevertheless, levels at which the whole 
wide complex appears to possess no vascular strands. Coherent with this 
complex by the concrescence of the larger part of the surface of the stalk is : 
6. Another complex consisting of two sporangiophores. The first 
sporangiophore is provided with a free trace and the other with a trace 
showing the B anomaly. This complex is followed by : 
7. Four free, single and monofascicular sporangiophores. One of these 
possesses a free trace, two possess traces showing the A anomaly, and one 
a trace showing the B anomaly. The last of these sporangiophores is fol¬ 
lowed by : 
8. A bifascicular sporangiophore which, though rather large, is clearly 
single in nature. One of its strands shows the A anomaly and the other 
the B anomaly. This sporangiophore is followed by : 
9. A complex of three sporangiophores. The first and third members 
of this complex are supplied by traces showing the A anomaly, while the 
vascular supply of the middle member is a free trace. This complex is 
followed by : 
10. A large complex of three or four sporangiophores. The first 
member of this complex is rather large and possesses two closely approxi¬ 
mated vascular strands, one a free strand and the other showing the 
B anomaly. The second and third members each possess a free trace, and 
beyond the third is a considerable projection devoid of vascular strands, 
which might conceivably be regarded as the rudiment of a fourth sporangio¬ 
phore. 
This completes the analysis of the whorl. 
Theoretical Considerations. 
In a previous paper it has been argued that the distribution of the 
metaxylem of the cone of E. maximum indicated that in this species the 
vascular system of the cone had undergone reduction (Browne, 1915, 
pp. 235-7). As has already been pointed out the A, B, and C anomalies of 
