lOö Palaeontologie. 



Bancroft, and stems and fructifications of the Williamsonia type. 

 The descriptions add a few details of internal strukture to already 

 known plants, and so far as the evidence goes, tends to support 

 the already accepted idea of a uniform Mesozoic flora. 



2. The second paper deals with the structure of a specimen of 

 which the origin is a little uncertain, but which probably came 

 from the Karoobeds of the Cape, South Africa. The specimen 

 is a decorticated, silicified stem, the part preserved having an exter- 

 nally ribbed appearance. The vascular arrangement of the stem is 

 . very complex, with two series of vascular structures embedded in 

 a parenchymatous ground-mass. as well as a central arched stele, 

 isoiated vascular Strands, and sclerotic bands and nests of periderm. 

 Each Stele appears to consist of a normally oriented and an inver- 

 sely orienied part. The xylem elements have bordered pits, arran- 

 ged in alternating series, flattened and in contact as in the Arau- 

 carian type. Its affinities are probably with the Medulloseae ; a consi- 

 deration of various possible relatives concludes with the view that 

 the genus Medullosa itself is the nearest ally, but it clearly diflfers 

 from described species of this genus. The author considers that its 

 differences from Medullosa ^ coupled with the fact that it is the first 

 stem of this nature known from the Southern Hemisphere, 

 justify the foundation of a genus: Rhexoxylon. The Single species 

 described has the "characters of the genus". M. C. Stopes. 



Fraine, E. de, On the Structure and Affinities of Sut- 

 cliffia, in the Light ofa Newly Discovered Species. 

 (Ann. Bot. XXVI. p. 1031 — 1066. pls. 91—92. 19 textfig. 1912.) 



The specimen here described was found in a "roof nodule" 

 above a Lower Coal Measure seam near Littleborough in Lan- 

 cashire, and from it a large number of transverse sections were cut 

 which were studied in great detail. The specimen is rather smaller 

 than the type originally described by Scott as Sutcliffia insignis, 

 but after a very careful comparison of the details of the two exam- 

 ples, it is concluded that the original specimen would be "the stem 

 in its young State, whereas the present fossil would show the com- 

 plexity attained in the older, though smaller, plant". The additional 

 evidence afforded by the new stem Supports the view that Sutcliffia 

 possessed a protostele in its main axis from which vascular Strands 

 of various size were given off, all similar to the protostele, but 

 dividing irregularly "into smaller bundles which were ultimately 

 completely used up in the production of leaftrace bundles". This 

 is held to support Scott's view of the primitive position in the 

 Medullosae of Sutcliffia. 



Among the theoretical conclusions, the author suggests that 

 some such genus as the protostelic Sutcliffia afforded the origin of 

 the Cycadaceae. M. C. Stopes. 



Hinde, G. T., On Solenopora garwoodi, sp. nov. , from the Lo- 

 wer Carboniferous in the North West of England. 

 (Geol. Mag. decade V. 10. p. 289—292. pl. 10. 1913.) 



The specimens of this alga were discovered by Prof. Garwood 

 in the Lower Carboniferous limestone. The thallus grows in small, 

 depressed, nodular masses, measuring about 20 to 26 mm. in dia- 

 meter and about 14 mm. in height. From microscopic sections of 



