CHAP, v Palaeobotany, 1860-1900 149 



had advanced beyond the Pteridophytic condition and 

 bore seeds of a fairly high type of organization. They 

 showed that the seed described by Williamson in 1877 and 

 named by him Lagenostoma was borne by Lyginodendron 

 Oldhamium. In consequence of these and subsequent 

 researches, the name Pteridospermeae was with certain 

 reservations applied to the group. 



The discovery of the Cycadofilices did not, however, 

 negative the existence of true Ferns among the plants 

 of the Palaeozoic age. The group Botryopterideae was 

 founded by Renault to include certain genera, which he had 

 studied during the years 1868-76. The first of these was 

 Anachoropteris, the petiole of which was found in the Upper 

 Coal-measures of Autun in 1868. He published in 1871 

 an account of the stem and petiole of this plant, and of 

 another which he named Zygopteris, and this was followed by 

 the discovery of Botryopteris in 1875. Renault associated 

 Botryopteris and Zygopteris in the group Botryopterideae 

 from the structure of their fructification, and suggested 

 that they were intermediate between the true Ferns as we 

 now know them, and the Ophioglossaceae. His views met 

 with general acceptance, and they came to be recognized as 

 the most important representatives of the primitive Filicineae. 



Another family, the Pecopterideae, which shows relation- 

 ship to the Marattiaceae, was also the subject of Renault's 

 study, and to him we owe two memoirs, of date 1883 and 

 1896 respectively, in which he gave a full account of the 

 internal anatomy of the frond. 



Though investigated by Carruthers and by Williamson, 

 the Cordaiteae are chiefly known to us by the researches 

 of Renault and Grand'Eury from 1875 onwards. Though 

 possessed only of fragmentary remains they studied their 

 structure with great completeness, and gave a wonderfully 

 perfect account of their anatomy, being able indeed to re- 

 construct their external appearance. They showed them to 



