1919] BASSLER—SPORANGIOPIIORIC LEPIDOPHYTE 77 



attached among themselves (2 of them are figured), and curiously 

 enough in none of these is the axis itself preserved. This sliver- 

 like fragment of the cone axis, for facility in subsequent discussion, 

 we shall call the "foot," that part of it which extends upward 

 from the point of insertion shall be known as the "toe," and the 

 downward extension the "heel." The length of the toe is usually 

 greater than the width of the sporangiophore, but in one American 

 species (ensifer) it is characteristically very long and slender, and 

 it is a fortunate circumstance that our best series of attached 

 sporophylls belongs to this species, for it shows conclusively that 

 units with such length of foot must be arranged spirally to be 

 disposed as we find them in this series. 



The sporophyll pedicel is usually nearly or quite normal or 

 perpendicular to the axis of the cone, and as a rule it is straight, 

 although in several species (mirabilis, waldenbergensis) it regularly 

 curves slightly upward toward the distal extremity. To the 

 inferior, dorsal, or abaxial face of the pedicel there is attached a 

 plate of tissue which we shall call the "keel." This structure in 

 some species {rohustus, cultrij'ormis, suhidatus) is relatively wide and 

 was probably membranous or scariose, maintaining its width from 

 the heel to which it is attached, to the distal extremity of the 

 pedicel where it terminates abruptly. In other species (linearifo- 

 lius, mirabiiis, grandis) it is developed only distad into a sort of 

 semispatulate structure, which was sometimes rather stout and 

 probably ligneous from development of sclerenchyma {lineari- 

 Jolius, grandis). To the extremity of the pedicel is attached the 

 lamina or blade of the sporophyll. This varies in length among the, 

 species of this genus from i to 12 cm. It may be narrowly and 

 sharply triangular in shape (cultriformis, ensifer, sicatus), 8 mm. 

 or less in width at base, or slender and long-linear in shape (lineari- 

 folius, grandis, novaculatus) and only 2-3 mm. wide at base. 



The single midrib is continuous with the pedicel at the bayonet- 

 like attachment of the blade, but at this point the blade is often 

 flexed sharply forward, and within certain limits the angle which 

 the blade makes with the pedicel (we shall call it the "angle of 

 inflexion") is characteristic of a given species. In certain species 

 {novaculatus, rohustus, waldenbergensis) this angle is nearly or quite 



