'20'2 kidston: tiii': p^lora of thk cahbonifkrous period. 



The fruit of Calamites ramosus is in tlie form of small cones 

 which terminate the branchlets. Their structure is that of 

 CalamostachT/s, which will be presently described. 



In Calamites [Eucalamites) cruciatus Sternb. each node bore 

 a verticil of somewhat distant branches. 



III. — Stylocalamites. 



The Calamites in this group very rarely produced branches. 

 Calamites Suckowii Brongt. is a good example (Plate XXXV., 

 fig. 3). The outer surface of the stem was smooth, and if the 

 nodes gave rise to branches they must have done so very rarely. 



In Calamites Cistii Brongt., another member of this group^ 

 small scars occasionally are found on the nodes, but these probably 

 are the scars, at least in part, of short stalked cones. 



IV. — Asterocalamites Schimper. 



This gi'oup is of generic value, and ranks in importance with 

 the genus Calamites ; it not only differs from Calamites in the 

 ribs not alternating at the nodes, but also in the foliage being 

 dichotomously divided. The fructification consisted of narrow 

 cones, fully five inches long, which are periodically divided into 

 sections by interposed barren whorls, so that the cone appears 

 as if composed of a number of oblong segments resting on each 

 other, and between which is a whorl of leaves. Each segment 

 therefore consisted of a barren whorl, which is succeeded by 

 10 or 12 fertile whorls. Though specimens of the fruit and foliage 

 are very rare in Britain, fragments of the stems are not uncommon. 

 The genus is characteristic of the Lower Carboniferous. 



Owing to our inability in the majority of cases of associating 

 the isolated foliage branches of Calamites with the stems to which 

 they belong, they are placed in the two following genera — 

 Calamocladus and Annularia. 



In Calamocladus Schimper [Asterophyllites Brongt.) the leaves 

 are arranged in whorls. They are narrow linear or setaceous, 

 single nerved and placed closely together. One of the commonest 

 species is Calamocladus equisetiform,is Schl. sp. (Plate XXX., 

 fig. 3). 



