Palaeontologie. — Algae. 361 



vestigated for the preservation of fossil plants. As regards previous 

 work they conclude that the only valid and satisfactory deiermina- 

 tions all relate to specimens trom the Baggy beds, and that they 

 consist of Sphenopteris sp., the Knorria casts of some Lycopodia- 

 ceous genus, and very doubtful Asterocalmnites scrohiculatiis. 



An obscure plant Impression from the Lynton beds is describcd, 

 but the material is insufficient to Warrant a name. It appears to be 

 a nevv type, and quite distinct from those generally classed under 

 the term Bythotvephis Hall, some of which are undoubtedly of 

 algal origin, while others may in realit}'' be the tracts of animals. 

 It is disringuished especialh' by the absence of any dichotomy of 

 the lateral organs from such plants as Psilophytoiz, Daws., and 

 Hostimelhij Stur, 3'et appears to approach nearest in habit to some 

 PsilophytonWke stems described from Spitzbergen byNathorst 

 and from Canada by Dawson. 



The füUowing Upper Devonian plants are described: 



Spheiiopteridium rigidiim (Lud ) pinnules. Sphenopteris sp. frag- 

 ments of a frond. Xenotheca devonica, gen. et sp. nov. axes and 

 cupules. Telangiiim sp. isolated fructifications with a distinct resem- 

 blance to the Lower Carboniferous Sphenopteris {Telangiuni) ajfinis. 

 Knorria sp. ICordaites sp. iVo evidence was found for the occur- 

 rence of Archneopteris hihernica in Devonshire; and so far as 

 the authors are aware the only valid determinations among previous 

 records are included in the above list. 



Xenotheca devonica is the most interesting specimen obtained 

 from Baggy Point and appears to be a cupule-like structure or 

 at least an organ connected with a fructification. It consists of a 

 dichotomously branched axis, forking several times, the finer 

 branches being terminated by fairly large, cupule-like structures, 

 termed thecae. The thecae are 8 to 15 mm. or more in length and 

 are provided with usually 8 teeth. This is probably the first record 

 of the occurrence of a cupulate organ in rocks of Devonian age and 

 is of importance as tending to confirm the conclusion that the Pte- 

 ridosperms were an important group even at this early period. 



Concerned the vexed question of the exact age of the Upper 

 beds of the so-called Devonian sequence in North Devon the flora 

 gives little information. Of the two species described, one is a new 

 type and the other is a plant only known from. the Devonian. The 

 other genera recorded and the particular types themselves are 

 similar to those occurring in the Lower Carboniferous. The authors 

 therefore conclude that on the whole this flora is probably of De- 

 vonian age, or at least that there is no evidence antagonistic to 

 this view to be gained from the specimens described. 



W. B. Turrill (Kew). 



t Lemmermann, E., f J. Brunnthaler und A. Pascher. Tetra- 

 sporales, Protococcales, einzellige Gattungen unsicherer 

 Stellung. Chlorophyceae. II. (Jena, G. Fischer. 1915.) 



Dieser 5. Heft der Süsswasserflora Deutschlands, Oester- 

 reichs und der Schweiz enthält drei Arbeiten, von denen zwei 

 von V'Or kurzen Zeit gestorbenen wohl bekannten Algologen sind. 

 E. Lemmermann hat die Tetraspovales bearbeitet und in Pro/ococc/- 

 yme, Gloeomastigophoririae, Pahnelli)iae, Pletirocopsinae geteilt. Pro- 

 tococcales hat Brunnthaler im Anschluss an seine Arbeit: „Die 

 systematische Gliederung der Protococcales^^ {Chlorophyceae. Sitzber. 



