Nat.

tome 6 page 208.) To the earliest of the opinions here quoted, that which considers the female flower of Coniferae and Cycadeae as a naked pistillum, there are two principal objections.

The first of these arises from the perforation of the pistillum, and the exposure of that point of the ovulum where the embryo is formed to the direct action of the pollen; the second from the too great simplicity of structure of the supposed ovulum, which, I have shown, accords better with that of the nucleus as existing in ordinary cases.
To the opinions of MM.

Richard and Mirbel, the first objection does not apply, but the second acquires such additional weight, as to render those opinions much less probable, it seems to me, than that which I have endeavoured to support.
In supposing the correctness of this opinion to be admitted, a question connected with it, and of some importance, would still remain, namely, whether in Cycadeae and Coniferae the ovula are produced on an ovarium of reduced functions and altered appearance, or on a rachis or receptacle.
In other words, in employing the language of an hypothesis, which, with some alterations, I have elsewhere attempted to explain and defend, respecting the formation of the sexual organs in Phaenogamous plants,* whether the ovula in these two families originate in a modified leaf, or proceed directly from the stem.
(*Footnote.

Linnean Society Transactions volume 13 page 211.) Were I to adopt the former supposition, or that best agreeing with the hypothesis in question, I should certainly apply it, in the first place, to Cycas, in which the female spadix bears so striking a resemblance to a partially altered frond or leaf, producing marginal ovula in one part, and in another being divided into segments, in some cases nearly resembling those of the ordinary frond.
But the analogy of the female spadix of Cycas to that of Zamia is sufficiently obvious; and from the spadix of Zamia to the fruit-bearing squama of Coniferae, strictly so called, namely, of Agathis or Dammara, Cunninghamia, Pinus, and even Araucaria, the transition is not difficult.
This view is applicable, though less manifestly, also to Cupressinae; and might even be extended to Podocarpus and Dacrydium.