470 Mr. Brown on an undescribed Fossil Fruit. 
dently waterworn, is marked with closely-approximated hexagonal arez, of 
which the four lateral sides are nearly twice the length of the upper and 
lower; these hexagons, which are the waterworn terminations of the bractez of 
the Strobilus, becoming gradually smaller and less distinct towards the top. 
A transverse section of the Strobilus exhibits a central axis, from which 
radii directly proceed, constantly thirteen in number, resembling, when perfect, 
the spokes of a wheel, but several of them being always more or less incom- 
plete. These radii alternate with an equal number of oblong bodies, also 
radiating, of a lighter colour, and which are not directly connected with the 
axis: beyond these twenty-six radiating bodies a double series of somewhat 
rhomboidal areole exist. These appearances not readily indicating the ac- 
tual structure in the transverse, are satisfactorily explained by the vertical 
section. 
From the vertical section it appears that the Strobilus is formed of a cen- 
tral axis of small diameter compared with the parts proceeding from it, which 
consist,— : | 
1. Of bractez densely approximated and much imbricated: the lower half 
of each of these stands at right angles to the axis, while the imbricating por- 
tion, of about equal leugth with the lower, and forming an obtuse angle with 
it, is gradually thickened upwards: these form the spokes and external rhom- 
boidal areæ of the transverse section. | 
2. Of an equal number of oblong bodies of a lighter colour and more 
transparent, each of. which is adnate and connected by cellular tissue with 
the upper surface of the supporting bractea. These bodies are sections of 
Sporangia filled with innumerable microscopic sporules, originally connected 
in threes (very rarely in fours), but ultimately separating, as shown in 
Tas. XXIV. fig. G. 
" From this triple composition or union of sporules, which differs from the 
constant quadruple union in tribes of existing plants, namely Ophioglossee 
and Lycopodiacee, which, from other points of structure, may be supposed 
most nearly related to the fossil, I have called it Triplosporite, a name 
which expresses its fossil state, the class or primary division to which it : 
belongs, and its supposed peculiarity of structure. a 
The structure of the axis, which is well preserved in the specimen, di- 
