201 
A morphological Study of Juniperus communis 
var. depressa') 
by 
George E. Nichols, 
Instructor in Botany in the Sheffield Scientific School of Yale University. 
With 4 figures and plates VIII—XVII. 
Düring recent years considerable attention bas been given by 
a large number of investigators to tbe morpbology of different 
gymnosperms, so tbat at tbe present time tbe number of living 
genera wbicb bave not been worked on to some extent is com- 
paratively small Exbaustive studies, bowever, bave as yet been 
made in only a few cases. At tbe time wben tbe present work 
was projected (1906) practically tbe only- accounts dealing witb 
tbe sporangia, gametopbytes, fertilization, and embryo in any one 
gymnosperm were tbose of Coker (1903b) on Taxodium, and of 
Miss Ferguson (1904) on Pinus. Noren (1904) and Sludsky (1905) 
bad already publisbed sbort preliminary papers dealing witb tbe 
morpbology of Juniperus communis, but no investigations of tbis 
species based on American material bad ever been made. Since 
tbere seemed to be considerable doubt among systematic botanists 
as to tbe identity of tbe European J. communis witb tbe American 
var. depressa, it was tbougbt wortb wbile to make a detailed mor- 
pbological investigation of tbe American form. 
Material and methods. 
Tbe writer is indebted to Dr. P. A. Rydberg for confirming 
bis determination of tbe plants from wbicb material for study was 
collected. Dr. Rydberg writes: “Itis Juniperus communis depressa 
of Gray’s Manual. Tbis bas been referred botb to J. communis 
and J. sibirica (= J. nana). I tbink, tbough, tbat it is distinct 
from tbe typical forms of botb species, but I am in doubt wbetber 
it sbould be referred as a variety to eitber of tbem or be regarded 
as a distinct species.” It will be seen by a comparison of tbe 
b A thesis presented to the Faculty of the Graduate School of Yale Uni¬ 
versity, June 1909, in candidacy for the degree of Doctor of Philosophy. 
