4
'I
:ilt
%
of the Lyginodendreae, through such types as P o r o x y l o n . Pi tys, and Calamopi t y s
(S c o t t , 1902; 1905). It seems impossible to doubt that the Cordaiteae were nlti-
mately derived from the same great Pteridospermic stock winch latei’ gave rise to
tlie Cycadoplpyta.
On the other hand the Cordaiteae are clearly connected with the Coniferae.
i. e., with the Taxaceae, through the mediation of Gi nkgo , and jierhaps also with
the Araucarieae, through such late Palaeozoic forms as VValchia. Unless the Coni-
feiae are an iiiinatiiral group, a view for which I find no sufficient evidence, it
follows that the entire order traces its origin from the Ferndike seed-plants which,
as we have seen, played so important a rôle in Palaeozoic times. And hence, again,
we must infer, that the whole Gyninospermous Sub-Kingdom was, in tlie last resort,
derived, in the wddest sense, from the Fern-stock.
In arriving at this conclusion, I do not forget tlie evidence which Palaeo-
botany has atforded of the existence in Palaeozoic times, of Lycopods with seed-like
oigans (S c o t t 1901; P e n s o n 1902). The analogy of the integumented megasporangia
of Lepidoca rpon and Miadesmia , each containing its single functional embryo-
sac, with true seeds, is a most striking one, hut I can find no indication that it is
ail} thing more than an analogy. The Lycopods of those days wei'e highly organised
plants, and some of them had accpiired, on lines of their own, something approaching
very nearly to the seed-habit. Put there is an entire absence of detailed structural
agreement with the true Seed-])lants, and the case appears to me to be one of
parallel development and not of affinity. On present evidence tlie Fern-pliylum is
the only Cryptogamic line which shows a direct connection with the Seed-plants of
oiir own period.
I he discovery that a large jiroportion of tlie Palaeozoic plants commonly
classed as Ferns were in reality seed-bearing plants, seilously disturbs current ideas
as tho the general character of the Flora of those days. From the time of Pi'ongniart
onwards we have been accustomed to speak of the Palaeozoic period as the Reign
ol the Higher Cryptogams. The truth of such a description depends very largely on
the nature of the so-called Ferns, which by themselves constitute about half the known
Floia of tlie Carboniferous Formation. As we have seen, the new® evidence is daily
tending to restrict more and moi'e the limits of the true Ferns, and to annex tract
after tract ot their domain to the Spermopliyta. Fven the genus Pecoi i ter is, which
only a few months-ago was still intact, is now encroached upon by the Pteridosperms,
So far as I can estimate, scarcely twenty per cent, of the “Feiai-fronds" of tlie
Carboniferous offer any real evidence of having been true cryptogandc Fei'iis, while
111 bePveen 30 and 40 per cent, the probability is all on the side of a position among
the Fern-hke Seed-jilants. The iinassigned remainder may provisionally be assumed
to follow the same ])roportioii, and hence, so far as present evidence indicates, something
like two-thirds of the apparent Ferns of the Carboniferous jieriod were in all
piobability seed-plants. I should not be snriirised if further research should even
enlarge this proportion.
If we further bear in mind the important seed-bearing family of the Cordaiteae
that flourished in Palaeozoic times, and the simulation of seed-plants on the ]iart of
some of the Lycopods, it becomes clear that we can no longer regard the Cryptogams
as the dominant plants of the Period. We may more correctly characterize the
Palaeozoic Age as the Reign of the Primitive Seed-plants.
References.
A rbek, 1 90 5 . E. A. Newell Arber, “On some now sjiecies of L a g e n o s toma . ” Proc. Roy. Soo.,
Vol. LXXVI.
He n s o n , 1902. M. Benson, “On a new Lycopodiaceous seed-like organ.” New Bliytologist, Vol. T,
2 i)p., 1 fig.
—, 1904. “On Te l a n g i um Scot t i . ” Ann. of B o t, Vol. XVIII, 18 pp., 1 pl., 1 fig.
Gr a n d ’E u r y , 1877. C. Grand ’Enry, “La Elore Carbonifère dn Département de la Loire.” Mém.
]irés. à l ’Acad. d. Sciences, Tome XXIV, No. 1, 624 ]ip., 38 pl.
—, 1 9 0 4 , “Sur les Graines des Neuropteridées.” Comptes rendus, Tome CXXXIX, p. 23 et 782, 9 pp.
— , 1 9 0 5 . “Sur les graines trouvées attachées au P ec o j i t e r us P l u c k e n e t i . ” Comptes rendus,
Tome CXL, 3 pp., 3 figs.
—, 1905. Preliminary note on the Occurence of Microsporangia in organic connection with the
of L y g i n o d e n d r o n . Broc. Roy. Soc. Vol. LXXVI, 3 pp, 1 Pl.
JviDSTON, 1 9 0 4 . R. Kidston, “The Fructification of Ne u r o p t e r i s h e t e r o p h y l l a . “ Bhil. Trans. Roy.
Soc. (P.), Vol. CXCVTI, 5 pp., 1 pl., 1 fig.
O l i v e r and S c o t t , 1 9 0 3 . F. W. Oliver and D. H. Scott, “On La g e n o s t oma Lomax i , the seed
of L y g i n o d e n d r o n . ” Proc. Roy. Soc., Vol. LXXI, G pp.
— — —, 1904. “On the Structure of the Palæozoic Seed La g e n o s t oma L o m a x i . “ Phil. Trans.
Roy. Soc. (B.), Vol. CXCVII, 55 pp., 7 pl., 2 figs.
Po t o n ié , 1897. H. Potonié, “Lehrhnch der Pflanzenpaläontologie”, p. 160.
Re n a u l t , 1883, 1 8 8 5 . B. Renault, “Cours de Bot. Fossile”, Vol. I ll, p. 115 and 159, Vol. IV, p. 179.
S c o t t , 1899. D. 11. Scott, “On Al e d u l l o s a a n g l i c a . ” Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc. (B.), Vol. CXCI,
46 PI)., 9 pl., 1 fig.
- , 1 9 0 0 . “Studies in Fossil Botany.” . ])]). 3 0 7 - 3 9 7 ; 5 1 2 -5 2 2 .
—, 1901. “'Plie Seed-like Fructification of L e pi d o ca rj i o n .” Phil. Trans. Boy. Soc. (B), Vol. CXCIV,
43 pp., 6 pi.
— , 1 9 0 2 .‘ “Primary Structure of certain Palæozoic Stems.” Trans. Roy. Soc. Edinburgh, Vol. XI,
pt. 2. 35 jip., 6 pl., 5 figs.
—, 1902." “The Old Wood and the New.” New Phytologist, Vol. I, 6 pp.
—, 1 9 0 5 . “Tho Early History of Seed-hearing Plants as recorded in the Carboniferous Flora. Wilde
Lecture. Manchester Memoirs, Vol. XLTX, 32 pp., 3 plates, 3 figs.
St u r , 1877. D. Stur, “Die Knlmflora der Ostrauer und YValdenhurger Scliicliten.” Ahhandl. d. k. k.
Geol. Reiclisanstalt zu Wien, Bd. VIII, Aht. 2.
—, 1883. “Zur Morphologie und Systematik der Kulm- und Karhonfarne.” Sitzungsber, d. k. k.
Akad. d. Wissensch. zu Wien, Bd. LXXXVIH, 214 pp,, 44 Fig.