SPHENOPTERIS. 135 



fragments, especially when, as in this ease, considerable variation 

 in the degree of lobing is known to occur in different portions of 

 the same frond, The Indian species S. Hughesi does, however, appear 

 to be, in certain respects, nearly identical with the Australian 

 fronds which I have grouped together here under S. lobifolia. The 

 enlarged drawings of the pinnules given by Feistmantel, and to 

 some extent also those of Zeiller, may be closely compared in regard 

 to the nervation with McCoy's ' figures of S. hastata and S.flexuom. 

 In the Indian species, however, the rachis apparently is not 

 winged, and in the case of some of the pinnae the habit does not 

 closely agree with that of the Australian fronds. It thus appears 

 somewhat doubtful at present whether the Indian and Australian 

 species are really distinct, but as I have not had any opportunity 

 of seeing the specimens from India, I have maintained Feistmantel's 

 species for the present. 



S. Hughesi is known only with certainty from the Raniganj 

 Group of the Damuda division in India. 



Not represented in the British Museum collection. 



3. Sphenopteris lobifolia, Morris. 



(PI. V, Figs. 2, 2a, 3.) 



1845. Sphenopteris lobifolia, Morris, in Strzelecki's New South Wales, 



p. 246, pi. vii, figs. 3, 3«. 

 1847. S. lobifolia, McCoy, Aim. & Mag. Nat. Hist., vol. xx, p. 149. 



S. hastata, McCoy, ibid., p. 149, pi. x, figs. 1, la. 



S.Jlexuosa, McCoy, ibid., p. 150, pi. ix, figs. 4, 4a. 



S. plnmosa, McCoy, ibid., p. 150, pi. x, figs. 3, 3a. 



S. ger ma nits, McCoy, ibid., p. 150, pi. x, figs. 2, 2a. 

 1S49. ? S. lobifolia, Dana, in Wilkes' U.S. Explor. Exped., vol. x, p. 715, 



pi. xii, fig. 12. 

 1850. S. lobifolia, Unger, Gen. et Spec. Plant, foss., p. 128. 



S. hastata, Unger, ibid., p. 127. 



S.flexuom, Unger, ibid., p. 127. 



S. germana, Unger, ibid., p. 127. 



S. plumosa, Unger, ibid., p. 127. 

 1869. S. (Hymen.) plumosa, Schiraper, Traite, vol. i, p. 411. 



S. {Hymen.) germana, Schimper, ibid., p. 411. 



S. (Hymen. ?) flexnosa, Schimper, ibid., p. 411. 



S. (Hymen.) hastata, Schimper, ibid., p. 410. 



1 McCoy (47), pi. x, fig. 1« ; pi. ix, fig. 4a. 



