Mr. J. Morris on recent and fossil CycadecB. 117 



This section has been proposed to include those species of fronds 

 hitherto classed with Zamites, but from which they differ in the va- 

 riable form of the base of the pinnae 

 and their imbricated character. Ad. 

 Brongniart appears to have been 

 aware of this structure (Prod. p. .91) 

 and has referred them to Zamites, 

 but this name ought to be restricted 

 to those fossils agreeing more closely 

 with the recent genus. The oblique attachment and auricled base 

 are characters not well marked in any recent species ; and whether 

 attached by the whole or only a portion of the base, may be difficult 

 to decide from the compressed state of the specimens, — an opinion 

 that might be formed from inspecting casts obtained from pressed 

 leaves of some of the Coniferae (Cunning hamia lanceolata), in which 

 the broad basal attachment (in the cast) would be very deceptive. 



No specimens of this section have yet been found with the verna- 

 tion of the young fronds, although, I believe. Ad. Brongniart consi- 

 ders he has discovered unequivocal evidence of the gyrate vernation 

 of Nilssonia. This section is readily distinguished from Pterophyllum 

 by the pinnae being narrow and of nearly equal breadth throughout, 

 a character in which they agree somewhat with the young state of 

 Encephalartos spiralis and E. cy cadis, and the broader ones resemble 

 other forms of that genus ; but it would be preferable to retain them 

 here, although their affinity to Zamites is very evident, if the con- 

 cave basal attachment of Z. gigas may be considered an intermediate 

 form. 



Pinnae narrow. 

 P. acutifolium, Geol. Trans., 2nd series, vol. v. t. 21. f. 1, 2, 3. OoL, 



Cutch. 

 P. Cutchense, Geol. Trans., 2nd series, vol. v. t. 21 . f. 4. Ool., Cutch. 

 P. Bucklandi, Z. Bnckl., Presl, /. c. pt. 7, 8. p. 198. 

 P. eequale, Pterophyllum dubium, Ad. Brong. Prod. p. 95 ; Hist. Let. 



Suec, t. 33. f. 8. Nilssonia cequalis, Brong., Ann. des Sc. Nat. 



4.t. 12. f, 6. Lias? Hoer, Sweden. 

 P.pecten, Pterophyllum pecten, Lindl. and Hutt., 2. t. 102. Cycadites 



pecten, Phillips, Geol. Yorks., t. 7. f. 22. Gr. Ool., Gristhorpe Bay. 

 P. Jcegeri, Pterophyllum Jcegeri, Brong. Prod. p. 95. Osmundites pec- 



tinatus, Jaeger. Keuper ? 

 P. dubium, Cycadites plumula, Presl, /. c. pt. 7, 8. p. 195. Filicites 



dubius, Sternb., pt. 1 — 4. t. 33. f. 1. Oolite, Yorkshire. 

 This may only be a variety of the next species. 

 P. pectinatum, Zamia, Brong. Prod., p. 94. Lindl. and Hutt., 3. 1. 172. 



Filicites scolopendrioides, Lindl. and Hutt., 3. t. 229. (excl. 



synon.) Stonesfield slate. Ool. shale"^, Saltwick, Yorkshire. 



which these characters are well exhibited ; they are figured in the 2nd part 

 of vol. V. of the ' Geol. Trans.* 



* Mr. WilUamson, in a memoir published in the Geol. Trans, vol. v., con- 

 siders most of the Yorkshire plants as belonging to the great ooUte. 



