John Merle Coulter

“ The Cycadophyte line is characterized by the retention of many of the fern-like features of the Cycadofilicales. In habit, in foliage, in stem structure, in sporangia, in reproductive habits, the features of Cycadofilicales were continued; so that the living Cycads, although relatively modern from the standpoint of history, are structurally the most primitive of living Gymnosperms, because they most resemble the historically ancient Cycadofilicales. ”

“ A very large percentage of the Coal-measure vegetation consisted of these fern-like plants, and so the coal period was pictured as a time of luxuriant fern vegetation, rivalling our present tropics in that feature. Approximately ten years ago these fern-like plants were observed to bear seeds, and the Cycadofilicales became established as the most fern-like group of Gymnosperms. ”

“ It is certainly true that the Bennettitales were abundant and wide-spread during the Mesozoic, and it seems to be true that the Angiosperms originated during the Mesozoic.
The Cycads (Cyadales) constitute a second group of Mesozoic Gymnosperms, associated with the Bennettitales of common origin, but apparently not a conspicuous part of the vegetation. It is very likely true that Bennettitales and Cycadales represent two independent Mesozoic derivatives from the Paleozoic Cycadofilicales: that the Bennettitales attained a dominant place in the Mesozoic flora ”

“ This question has been answered by the study of vascular anatomy, chiefly by Jeffrey of Harvard, supported by the morphology of the reproductive structures, and by history. The conclusion is that the tribe containing the pines is to be regarded as including the modern representatives of the most ancient Conifers. ”