Si Annals of the South African Museum. 



Vosges, which he named Neuroptcriclium granclifolia ; he defined 

 the subgenus as follows : — 



" Frons simpliciter pinnata, pinnis integerrinis basi coarctatis, 

 infra mediam basim insertis ; nervo medio plus minusve distincto." 



The long pinnate fronds of the type-species bore segments 4-5 cm. 

 in length and 2 cm. broad ; they differ in no essential features from 

 the leaf represented in pi. x., fig. 1. 



In 1879 Feistmantel * published several drawings of large fronds 

 from Lower Gondwana rocks of India, which he at first designated 

 Neuropteris valicla, but afterwards f Neuropteridium validum. These 

 Indian specimens, as Feistmantel pointed out, bear a close resem- 

 blance to the Triassic European species described by Schimper and 

 Mougeot.j The only evidence at present available, so far as I am 

 aware, in regard to the nature of the reproductive organs of fronds 

 included in Neuropteridium is that afforded by specimens from the 

 Bunter rocks of the Vosges described by Schimper and Mougeot 

 under the name Crematoptcris. Zeiller § considers that the fossils 

 so named are the fertile fronds of Neuroptcridiuin, and suggest a 

 comparison with certain recent species of Lomaria. There is little 

 doubt that Crematopteris of Schimper and Mougeot represents the 

 fertile condition of a Triassic species of Neuropteridium from the 

 Vosges sandstone — N. imhricatitm S. and M. ; but the fertile pin- 

 nules exhibit nothing more than crowded dots or pits as shown in 

 the drawing (Schimper and Mougeot, pi. xxxv., fig. 3) without any 

 indication of sporangial structure. Granting the correctness of 

 Zeiller' s view, and that the reproductive organs are of the nature 

 of sporangia, we are still without information as to the nature of the 

 fertile leaves of Neuropteridium grandifolium, the Triassic species 

 which so closely resembles N. validium. No fertile examples have 

 been described from the Talchir-Karbarbari beds, where the southern 

 species is particularly abundant, and it may be that — like the 

 northern Palaeozoic genera Alethopteris, Neuropteris, and other 

 fern-like leaves — Neuropteridium bore Gymnospermous rather than 

 filicinean reproductive organs. 



In dealing with genera that are regarded as characteristic members 

 of the Glossopteris flora it is important to consider their possible 

 relationship or identity with northern Palaeozoic types. The genus 

 Neuropteridium is usually described as a fern confined to the Lower 

 Gondwana rocks of India and South America and to the Bunter beds 

 of the Vosges in Europe. We are now able to extend the range to 



* Feistnifintel (79, 79-), p. 10. t I^l>i<^- (81), p. 53. 



\ Schimper and Mougeot (44). § Zeiller (00), p. 109. 



