78 ON THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE COAL DEPOSITS OF AUSTRALIA, 



the steni appears to be broken across either one or both halves, at 

 intervals of half to one inch; a.nd on close examination, it is found 

 that a carbonaceous film here intersects the stem (or one-half of 

 it) extending into the clay beneath, and causes the appearance of 

 fracture. Besides the stein is angularly depressed at intervals 

 along the centre. On another example figured, the stem looks as 

 if crumpled into a series of large angular depressions. The name 

 Clasteria (from KXaaros broken) alludes to this broken appearance. 

 It is especially remarkable that the stem which has the form first 

 referred to at one extremity, changes to the second, showing that 

 although so different, all these forms are parts of one and the same 

 individual. The impressions are very thin, as in Phyllotheca. 

 The idea of their having some connexion with seed-bearing vessels 

 or pods, is suggested by the form, but no analogy can be appealed 

 to by the writer to sustain it."* 



Sir Charles Bunbury was the first to suggest the true nature of 

 these forms, f He showed how one of these fossils must be the 

 root or rhizome of some plant. Dr. 0. Feistmantel j pointed out 

 another important fact in connection with Vertebraria, that it was 

 not found associated with any other plant. He pretty clearly 

 proved that all Vertebraria are roots, and that most probably they 

 were roots of an Equisetaceous nature. He adds these important 

 remarks. § 



" Vertebraria is in India a wide-spread fossil, both as regards 

 vertical and horizontal distribution. I think there is only one 

 species of Vertebraria in India, i.e., V. indica, Boyle, while V. 

 radiata is a cross-section of V. indica. There are two varieties so 

 to speak. One which appears a more tender plant and is more 

 branched, and another variety, which represents rather the stems. 

 This latter is more generally distributed, while the former appears 

 to be more common in the Kamthi representative of the Ramiganj 

 group, although the other form also is not absent. The Australian 



* Append. Geol. U.S. Explor. Exped. p. 719. 

 T Quart Jour. Geol. Soc. loc. cit. 

 X Jour. Asiatic Society of Bengal., loc. cit. 

 § Pal. Indica, loc cit., vol, 3., part 2. p. 71. 



