436 SCIENCE PROGRESS. 



liamson and Scott adopt the generic name of Sphenophyllum, 

 while Count Solms prefers Binney's term Bowmanites. The 

 question of terminology in paleobotany is often a difficult 

 one. When we have very definite evidence that a cone 

 belongs to a certain genus, it would appear the obvious 

 course to speak of both under the same generic name. On 

 the other hand there is something to be said in favour of 

 retaining a special term for detached strobili, which cannot 

 be certainly referred to their respective vegetative stems. 

 In the case of Sphenophyllum Dawsoni (Will.) it may be, as 

 suggested by Zeiller, the strobilus of S. cuneifolium (Sternb.); 

 as our knowledge increases, detached cones must frequently 

 be referred to certain specific forms of stems, and the con- 

 fusion would probably be lessened if a distinct generic name 

 were in the first instance assigned to isolated cones. The 

 use of distinctive names for the fructification of genera has 

 been found convenient in the case of Lepidodendron, Sigil- 

 laria, and Calamites (Lepidostrobus, Sigillariostrobus, and 

 C alamo stachys). Such names suggest the strobili of the 

 different genera, and in looking through a list of species 

 one recognises at a glance those which stand for repro- 

 ductive structures. Solms does not adopt the generic 

 designation of the fructification of Sphenophyllum corre- 

 sponding to C alamo stachys, as he considers such a term as 

 Sphenophyllostachys too long and inconvenient. In coining 

 new names sesquipedalian words should, as a rule, be 

 avoided, but in discarding the genus Sphenophyllostachys 

 one is departing from a recognised and convenient custom 

 for a reason which hardly seems adequate. Bowmanites is 

 the older name, but now that its true position is known, it 

 should be replaced by a term which expresses the fact of 

 its connection with Sphenophyllum. I would suggest, 

 therefore, that the name Sphenophyllostachys be adopted 

 for the strobili of Sphenophyllum. 



Sphenophyllostachys Dawsoni (Will.). {Mem. Man- 

 chester Lit. and Phil. Soc, vol v., p. 28, pis. 1-3, 187 1.) 



Volkmannia Dawsoni. Ibid. 



Bowmanites Dawsoni. Weiss. Steinkohlen Calamarien, 

 ii., p. 200, 1884. 



