178 NOEGGERA.THIOPSIS. 



The best known genus of this group, Cordaites, is a characteristic 

 member of the Pernio -Carboniferous flora of the Northern Hemi- 

 sphere. In the Glossopteris flora, the Cordaitales were probably 

 represented by JVbeggerathiopsis, but our knowledge of the habit, 

 structure, and fructification of this plant is still very imperfect, 

 and consequently this conclusion is to some extent provisional. 



Genus NOEGGERATHIOPSIS, Feistmantel, 1879. 

 [Flora Gondw. Syst., vol. iii, pt. 1, p. 23.] 



Leaves simple, spathulate, lanceolate or linear-lanceolate, or 

 ovate. No midrib. Nervation sub-parallel, several parallel nerves 

 entering the base of the leaf, dividing by dichotomy at a very acute 

 angle, and without anastomosis. 



Considerable difference of opinion has existed both with regard 

 to the affinities of this genus, and also in respect to the identity of 

 some of its members. The first Indian specimens were described 

 by Buubury in 1 8 '"> 1 , who referred them provisionally to the 

 Gyrnnospermous genus JVbeggerathia. This generic name was also 

 at one time adopted by Feistmantel, but in 1879 he proposed a new 

 genus Noeggerathiopsis for their reception, on the grounds that they 

 were closely related to the Cycads. The same author, in 1881, 

 pointed out the close similarity presented by the leaves described 

 as Rhiptozamites by Schmalhausen l with the Indian and Australian 

 species of Noeggerathiopsis, and the probable affinity of both these 

 genera to the Mesozoic Cycads of the family Zamire. 



In more recent times, Zeiller, Seward, Solms-Laubach, 2 and 

 others have regarded this genus as in all probability a member 

 of the Cordaitales, closely allied to Cordaites. Mr. Seward, 3 in 

 fact, has recently expressed the view that " had the leaves referred 

 to this genus been found in European Palaeozoic rocks there can be 

 little doubt that they would have been described under the name 

 Cordaites." 



Zeiller 4 has made a careful study of the leaves described by 

 Schmalhausen as Rhiptozamites. He regards them as belonging 



1 Schmalliauseii (79). 2 Solms-Laubach (91), p. 110. 



3 Seward (03 1 ), p. 9.3. 4 Zeiller (9C-), p. 475 ; (02>), p. 32 ; (02 2 ). 



