BY R. J. TILLYARD. 373 



Genus Samaroblatta, n.g. (Text-figs. 306, 34-38). 



Medium-sized tegmina (about 13 or 14mm. in length). 

 Humeral area moderately wide, of about the same length, from 

 base to apex, as the anal area. Sc a single, strong, and nearly 

 straight vein bounding the humeral area distallv, with or with- 

 out a weaker, incomplete branch vein proceeding from it on to 

 the humeral area. Main stem of R with fairly strong double- 

 curving, so that its lowest point of dip lies almost upon the 

 middle line of the tegmen, and the most distal portion of ft 

 readies the border well before the apex. Anal area somewhat 

 cultriform, well-defined; forkings of anal veins, if any, confined 

 to small twigs near their distal ends. 



Genotype, Samaroblatta reticulata, n.sp. (Upper Trias, 

 Ipswich, Q. ). 



Closely related, by the character of the strong double-curving 

 of R, to Mesoblattula Handl., from the Lias of Dobbertin, Meck- 

 lenburg; but at once distinguished from it by its much greater 

 size and larger number of veins. The generic name is derived 

 from the word samara (Lat. samera or samara, the seed of the 

 ash), a botanical term indicating the winged mericarp found in 

 the Natural Order Aeeracese, such as the seed of the maple, 

 sycamore, etc. The appearance of these fossil tegmina, with 

 their strongly impressed basal anal area, is strongly suggestive 

 of this type of winged seed. Parenthetically, it may be men- 

 tioned that the venation of quite a number of plant-remains is 

 deceptively like that of the cockroach tegmen, necessitating some 

 care on the part of the investigator of these fossils. 



This genus differs from Triassoblatta, n.g., not only in the 

 greater comparative length of its humeral area (as given in the 

 key), but also by the simplification of Sc, the much greater 

 double-curving of R, and the absence of any but small distal 

 forkings from the anal veins. 



The five species here described may be separated by the 

 following key : — 



TSc, R and its branches strongly thickened veins; M and Cu 



(IjJ moderate S\ blabdldides, n.sp. 



I All the veins slender 2. 



