228 SCIENCE PROGRESS 



the good fortune to obtain fronds showing both the reduced, 

 fertile pinnules, and the ordinary, sterile foliage of Lygino- 

 daidron, an exceedingly rare circumstance among fossil plants. 

 On the whole these male organs of Lyginodendron are almost 

 startling in their simplicity, and in their obvious resemblance 

 to the fructification of certain isosporous ferns. Surprise at this 

 circumstance is only increased when we reflect that the corre- 

 sponding female organ of the same plant is of an exceedingly 

 advanced type, as has been already intimated. Hence, if the 

 female fructification points strongly in the direction of the 

 Cycads, the discovery of the male organs serves but to forge 

 another link in the chain which connects the Cycadofilices 

 with the Ferns : links which have been already recognised in 

 the general habit of the foliage, and in certain features of the 

 anatomy of the stem. In other words, the Cycadofilices are 

 synthetic in their fructification, as in their anatomy. 



In the case of the Crossothecas described by Mr. Kidston 

 the structure is to some extent preserved. There is, further, 

 a possibility that some sporangia, occurring in petrified material, 

 which were discussed by Miss Benson 1 in 1904, under the name 

 Telangium Scotfi, 2 may also eventually prove to be the male 

 organs of a Pteridosperm. If this is the case, their structure 

 lends further support to the conclusion as to their fern-like 

 nature. 



Within a few months of the initial discovery by Prof. 

 Oliver and Dr. Scott, their main conclusion that some at least 

 of the Cycadofilices were seed-bearing plants was confirmed 

 in a striking manner by Mr. Kidston. 3 At the close of 1903 

 Mr. Kidston obtained some ironstone nodules from South 

 Staffordshire containing plant impressions, which proved to 

 be of exceptional interest. Some of them showed a large seed, 

 about 3 cm. long, identified by that author as a Rhabdocarpus, 

 to the stalk of which were still attached typical leaflets of 

 Neuropteris heterophylla, Brongn, Now, the Neuroptcris type of 

 foliage, although almost always occurring detached like other 

 fossil fronds, had been known for some years previously to 

 belong to the stem Mcdid/osa, another typical genus of the 

 Cycadofilices. Thus Mcdidlosa has also proved to be a seed- 



1 Benson, 1904. 



2 Mr. Kidston regards Telangium as quite distinct from Crossotheca. 



3 Kidston, 1903. 



