90 



GLOSSOPTERIS. 



to an accident of preservation, it probably forms an important 

 character of this frond. That the nerves in certain Glossopterids 

 may be sinuous has been recently shown by Zeiller (see G. tortuosa). 



G. divergens is known only from the Kaniganj group of the 

 Damuda division in India. 



Not represented in the British Museum collection. 



11. Glossopteris decipiens, Feistmantel. 

 (Text-fig. 24.) 



1879. Glossopteris decipiens, Feistmantel, Flora Gondw. Syst., vol. iii, pt. 1, 



p. 17, pi. xviii, figs. 3-5, pi. xxiv, fig. 6. 

 ? Sagenopteris (?) Stoliczkana, Feistmantel, ibid., p. 18, pi. xiii, fig. 4. 



1880. Glossopteris decipiens, Feistmantel, ibid., vol. iii, pts. 2, 3, p. 107. 

 ? Sagenopteris (?) Stoliczkana, Feistmantel, ibid., p. 114. 



1886. Glossopteris decipiens, Feistmantel, ibid., vol. iv, pt. 2, p. 29. 



Type. Nos. 5025 and ?5012, Mus. Geol. Snrv. India, Calcutta. 



Frond narrowly spathulate, base truncate (?), basal angles rounded, 

 or sub-auriculate. Midrib strong, hardly extending for more 

 than two-thirds of the length of the leaf, breaking up above 

 into radiating and anastomosing secondary nerves. Secondary 

 nervation arising at an acute angle, forming narrow, oblong 

 meshes. 



The general character of the secondary nervation appears to me 

 to be closely similar to that of G. indica. The frond is, however, 

 distinguished by the fact that the midrib does not extend for more 

 than two-thirds of the length of the leaf, and by the truncated base, 

 the lateral angles of which are slightly auriculate. As Feistmantel 

 has pointed out, this species seems to present a transitional type 

 between Glossopteris and Gangamopteris. It is also especially 

 interesting as being one of the earliest members of the genus to 

 appear in India, in rocks which are probably equivalent in age to 

 the Upper Carboniferous deposits of Europe. 



It is remarkable that among the earliest Glossopterid fronds 

 from Australia, there also appear to be some in which the midrib 

 is impersistent, and dissolves into lateral veins at some distance 

 from the apex. It is not improbable that when these early forms 

 are better known, this character may be found to be of some 



