62 



Fig,6. Spore. Fig. 7. a, scale from rootstocTc ; ^, scale from lower 

 part of stipe ; c^ scale from rachis. Fig, 8. Magnified tomentum, 

 showing jointed hairs. 



Medford, Mass., May, 1881. 



58. On a Recent Determination of Lepidodendron. 



By Herman L. Fairchild. 



Jersey 



contains an announcement by Prof. L. Lesquereux to the effect that 

 Lepidodendron has been found in the Triassic rocks of that State. 

 Such a discovery would be of the greatest importance to Palaeontol- 

 ogy; and, being so opposed to all experience and expectation, would 

 excite unusual interest. The passage from Prof. T.esquereux's letter 

 to Prof. Cook, as it appears in the Report, page 26, reads as follows: 

 " The photographs are sufficient, if not for^specific determinaition 

 at least for positive reference of the specimens to Lepidodendron. 

 Even I should say that the specimens represent Z. Weltheiviiaimm, 

 Prest., as distinctly as a specific representation can be be made upon 

 a decorticated trunk of Lepidodendron. L. Weltheimianum is a 

 leading species of the old red sandstone, found here, as in Europe, 

 from the Sub-Carboniferous measures down to the Devonian, while 

 until now we do not have any remains of Lepidodendron of any kind 

 from the upper coal-measures (Permo-Carboniferous), or from higher 

 up than the Pittsburg coal. 



L. Weltheimianum is recorded only once from the true coal-meas- 

 ures ; this by Eichwald, from the carboniferous sandstone of Russia. 

 But European authors, among others Goeppert, doubt the identity 

 of the Russian species with L. Weltheimiattiim, which is, moreover, ex- 

 tremely variable, and has been described already Under about thirty 

 different names." 



I liave had the opportunity of examining a series of photographs, 

 duplicates of those sent Prof. Lesquereux, and with all proper defer- 

 ence to his authority, I should nevertheless say that his determina- 

 tion rests upon a very insufficient basis of facts. 



The photographs show surfaces prominently marked with swell- 

 ing areas separated by deeply furrowed lines. These areas are quite 

 irregular in both size and shape. Some of them are regularly rhom- 

 boidal ; but from this they vary to sub-linear. A quincunx arrange- 

 ment IS of course unavoidable with this shape. The surfaces shown 

 probably represent the wood. But whether wood or cortex they cer- 

 tainly are entirely without the peculiar vascular markin<rs which be- 

 long to the leaf-scars of Lepidodendron ; and, indeed, they are desti- 

 tute of any other definite characters. 



In the first place, as regards the generic identification, it should be 

 noted that, m the paragraph above quoted, Prof. Lesquereux admits 

 ^u^ ^^ell known fact that Lepidodendron has never been found above 

 the middle coal-naeasures. Now one might not wisely assert the im- 

 possibilityof finding the genus in the Permian or even in the Trias 

 But many facts unite to render it extremely improbable These facts 

 are so/amihar to many that it will be sufficient for the present pur- 

 pose simply to mention a few of the most important. 



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