The Maüle Reaction and the Systematic Position of the Gnetales

Abstract

IN a book just issued¹, Dr. Hagerup, of Copenhagen, has revived the much-debated question of the origin of the Angiosperms, basing his conclusions on a detailed, comparative study of the organogeny of the floral structures in a series of representative species of the Gnetales, Piperaceæ and Juglandaceæ. From this investigation he derives support for the belief in the close relationship of the Piperaceæ and the Gnetales, the differences between them being, in his view, of minor importance morphologically ; so that either the Gnetales should be added to the Angisosperms, as Lignier contended, or the Piperaceæ should be regarded as having arisen directly from gymnospermic ancestors through the Gnetales, as the author himself maintains.