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



base, decurrent, free, but towards the apex more and more con- 

 fluent, and the terminal ones united, slender, ovate-acuminate, 

 rarely somewhat rounded, the lowest ones seated partly on the 

 primary and partly on the secondary rachis of two forms, either 

 narrow at the base, broadly cuneate, and more or less deeply 

 emarginate above, or obcordate. Veins all arising from the rachis, 

 extremely fine, dichotomous, diverging as they ascend. No costa. 

 Fructification unknown. 



This is a Carboniferous genus which has no immediate relation 

 to any Fern either extinct or existing, except perhaps Neuropteris ; 

 but in Odontopteris the pinnules are always inserted on the whole 

 base, decurrent, and often confluent, while in Neuropteris they are 

 always constricted or somewhat pedicellate. In the latter, 

 too, there is always a median nerve, from which all the others 

 take their origin, while in Odontopteris they all arise directly from 

 the rachis. Again, the basilar pinnules of the genus just named 

 are very different from the others, which is not the case in Neurop- 

 teris, whose pinnules are obtuse or rounded at the summit, while 

 the former are often pointed and bent, or falcate. G-oeppert cites 

 some instances of the genus having been found above the true 

 Carboniferous, but Schimper believes this to be a mistaken identi- 

 fication. It will be seen, however, that M'Coy's species now cited 

 is from the so-called Wianamatta beds at Clarke's Hill, nearCobbity. 



Odontopteris micropkylla, M'Coy, (Ann. Nat. Hist., volxx, p. 147, 

 not figured). — Bi-pinnate, pinnae alternate, oblique narrow, about 

 three lines wide and two inches long ; pinnules alternate oblique, 

 slightly connate at the base, obtusely elliptical, their length only 

 equalling the width of their base, no midrib, secondary neuration 

 indistinct. 



Obs. — " The only Odontopteris approaching this elegant species 

 by its alternate pinnae, and very short connected pinnules, is the 

 0. schlotheimii, Br., from which it is distinguished by the smaller 

 size, much narrower and more oblique pinnae, and by the pinnules 

 being proportionately smaller and elliptical instead of being 

 broadly rounded. The latter character also separates it from the 



