18 Annals of the South African Museum. 



fronds enables me to form an opinion, agrees too closely with the 

 Uitenhage form to justify specific separation. 



The entire form of pinnule, represented in fig. 8, pi. ii., is found in 

 the upper pinnae of a frond, and every gradation is met with connect- 

 ing the narrow segments in the apical portion of the fragment repre- 

 sented in fig. 8 with segments like those of fig. 8a and the more 

 deeply lobed type shown in figs, la, 7b. In addition to the 

 species mentioned in the above synonomy, there are various others 

 with which SphenoiJteris fittoni exhibits a close agreement. Of 

 these reference may be made to Scleroptcris i)omclii and S. tenuisecta, 

 figured by Saporta ■'■ from French rocks ; also Sclcroptcris terndsecta 

 and S. tenclliloha, recorded by the same author from the Jurassic 

 plant-beds of Portugal. i Scleroptcris vernonensis, figured by Ward .]: 

 from the Potomac formation, and Fontaine's Sclcroptcris virginica § 

 are other examples of ferns of similar habit ; also Sphcnoptcris 

 pilurincrvia, a Portuguese species described by Heer. |1 



Plate TL, fig. 7 (249c). 



An imperfect and somewhat ol)scure piece of a frond 7"5 cm. in 

 length, a portion of which is represented in the figure. From a 

 broad rachis pinnae are given off at almost a right angle. The 

 habit of the frond is more open than in Cladophlchis hroioniana. 

 The pinnules of Sphenoptcris fiitoni are distinguishable by their 

 narrower and more pointed form and more acute lobes. The en- 

 larged drawings (figs, la, lb), show the form of the pinnules more 

 clearly ; the venation is obscure, but traces of a midrib can be seen 

 here and there. On the same piece of rock occur also fragments of 

 Araucaritcs scales and a good example of Zamitcs rachis. 



Plate II., fig. 8 (37Gc). 



A portion of a pinna with more clearly preserved pinnules differing 

 from those shown in fig. 7 in having entire or very slightly lobed 

 margins (fig. 8a). The venation is clearly seen in this specimen ; 

 it consists of a central midrib from whicli spring a few secondary 

 veins at an acute angle. 



Other specimens : 347c. 



* Saporta (73), pi. xlvii. ; (1)1), pi. lix.-lxi. 



t Ihid. (94), pi. ii., iii. \ Ward (95), pi. ii., figs. 1-3. 



S Fontaine (89), pi. xxviii., figs. 3, 5. |1 Heer (81), pi. xi., fig. 6. 



