FOSSIL PLANTS. 57 



rangium of Spkenophyllum appears to be continuous with 

 the epidermis of the pedicel ; this fact, as well as the de- 

 velopment of secondary xylem in the strobilus axis, forms a 

 connecting link with Ophioglossacecs. On the whole, Zeiller 

 inclines to consider Spkenophyllum as more nearly allied to 

 Ophioglossacecs than to Hydropteridem. 



As regards the vegetative parts of Spkenophyllum, there 

 are certain characters, such as the verticillate leaves and 

 jointed stem, in which Equisetinece are suggested ; in the 

 primary xylem of the central stele, and the development of 

 secondary xylem Lycopodinccr are indicated. Probably We 

 must regard Spkenophyllum as belonging to a special class 

 of Vascular Cryptogams, and one which finds its true 

 position close to the Filicinece because of the close resem- 

 blance in the fossil strobilus to the fructification of Marsi- 

 liacece and Ophioglossacece} 



In a summary of recent work which has contributed to 

 the advance of paleobotany, it is important, as occasion re- 

 quires, to draw attention to such records of newly-discovered 

 plants as may be regarded as acquisitions of doubtful value. 

 " A New Fungus from the Coal-Measures " 2 is a title which 

 might lead us to expect some interesting addition to the 

 scanty representatives of palaeozoic Fungi. On consulting 

 the paper with this heading, we find a plate and brief 

 description of a specimen to which the name Incolaria 

 Securiformis has been assigned ; it is difficult, however, to 

 detect any sound evidence that a new fungus has indeed 

 been added to the flora of the Coal-Measures. 



The same author, in another place, makes the startling 

 announcement that he has discovered a Carboniferous fossil 

 plant showing the structure of an "Endogen" ; to this he 

 gives the name Winchellina fascina? The crude figure 

 and curious description, so far as it is possible to form an 

 opinion from them, indicate, as previously suggested by 

 Knowlton, 4 a plant with some resemblance to Psaronius. 



1 Mem. Soc. Geo/., France, 1893, p. 39. 



2 American Geologist, vol. xi., 1&93, p. 365. 



* Ibid., p. 286. 4 Science, vol. xxi., 1893, P- 33 2 - 



