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



need not be specified as they have no immediate bearing on the 

 Australian fossil flora. In all of them the characters of Tceniop- 

 teris were regarded as of generic value only, and the Ferns were 

 included with the Danceacece which belongs to the Marattiacece. 

 In 1369 Schimper erected the characters of Tceniopteris into one 

 of his five orders of Ferns which are — 1. Splienopteridece ; 2. 

 Neuropteridece ; 3, Pecopteridece ; 4, Toeniopterideoe ; 5, Dictyop- 

 teridece. The definition of Schimper for the Tceniopteridece is 

 that which is given above. It is divided into seven genera — 1. 

 Tceniopteris, simple scolopenclriform fronds with horizontal or 

 oblique veins and unknown fructification. 2. Angiopteridium, 

 Pinnate fronds with the fructification of the living Angiopteris. 

 In all formations from the Trias to the present day. 3. Marat- 

 tiopsis, long linear dentate pinna? with narrow filiform costa and 

 oblique veins. A tertiary genus like our own Marattia fraxinea. 

 4. Oleandridium, simple lanceolate elongate or lingulate 

 coriaceous fronds with the fructification of Aspidium. Rhsetic to 

 tertiary. 5. Macrotcenioptteris, a large Tceniopteris with sometimes 

 a dentate margin and fructification of Aspidium. Rhaetic, 

 Oolitic and Tertiary. 6. Danceopsis. a Triassic form like the 

 living Dancea. 7. Danceides, Pinnate fronds with the veins 

 emerging from a narrow costa at a right angle with ex-annulate 

 sporangia, which are situate at the under side near the margin, &c. 

 From these definitions it will be seen that all the Ferns of the 

 family where the fructification is not known are referred to 

 Tceniopteris or Macrotceniopteris, and these include simple fronds 

 with either horizontal or oblique veins. 



Tceniopteris, Brongniart. 



Frond simple and in habit like Scolopendron. Costa conspicuous 

 above, sub-terete underneath, veins generally conspicuous, slender, 

 numerous and close, dichotomous a little above the base ; venules 

 simple or dichotomous, parallel, with an occasional intermixture of 

 simple nerves. 



In this genus the veins emerge from a very prominent costa at 

 almost a right angle. They are very close, curved or straight, 



