VERTKBRAEIA. 97 



appears to me to be of the nature of a rhizome, but which, 

 obviously, is not a Vertebraria. The Australian specimen has 

 exactly the appearance that one would expect the external surface 

 of a rhizome to present. It is a cylindrical axis on which may be 

 seen numerous prints or leaf-scars. Similar organs have also been 

 described elsewhere in association with the Glossopteris flora. 

 Feistmantel : has figured one from India ; and one from Port 

 Stephens, New South Wales (V. 7206, Odinheimer Coll.), is figured 

 here on Plate VI, Pig. 4. The latter specimen occurs on a piece 

 of yellowish-white shale, on the back of which are found several 

 fragments of fronds of G. Browniana, and a small portion of a 

 Vertebraria. The two cylindrical bodies figured appear to be 

 axes, on which may be seen numerous depressions having all the 

 characteristics of leaf-scars, the vascular prints being clearly visible 

 here and there. They were no doubt stem structures bearing 

 crowded, almost overlapping leaves, and there is every probability 

 that an impression of the true external surface is preserved. There 

 is, however, no absolute proof that this specimen belonged to Glossop- 

 teris, although it somewhat resembles that figured by Etheridge. 



In view of this evidence it would appear to me more probable 

 that the characteristic features of Vertebraria may be due to the 

 internal, and not to the external structure of a rhizome ; a structure 

 with which we are at present entirely unacquainted, unfortunately, 

 owing to the absence of petrified material. In this case we should 

 be dealing with an internal and not an external cast. It may be 

 that impressions of the external features of these rhizomes were rare 

 as compared with the internal, just as in the case of the stems of 

 Catamites. AVhether this provisional suggestion is likely to prove 

 correct remains to be seen. In the meanwhile there is room for 

 still further research into the origin of the features presented by 

 this puzzling fossil, Vertebraria. 



Vertebraria indica, Eoyle. 



(PL IV, Pigs. 2-4.) 



1833. Vertebraria indica, Eoyle, Illust. Bot. Hirual. Mounts., p. xxix*, pi. ii, 

 figs. 1-3. 

 V. radiata, Royle, ibid., p. xxix*, pi. ii, figs. 5-7. 



1 Feistmantel (79'), pi. xiii, fig. 6. 



