84 FOSSIL PLANTS FROM ALABAMA. 



2. Sphenopteris (Diplothmema) Dicksonioides (Gopp.). Scliiiltze. 

 Two specimens ; Museum number, 2GG1. 



3. Sphenopteris (Diplothmema) subgeuiculata (Star.). Schiiltze. 



This may be a variety of the sterile plants of Sphenopteris harveyi, 

 Lx., which are the most abundantly represented specimens in both 

 sterile and fertile fragments. 



Two specimens; Museum number, 2GG2. 



4. Sphenopteris Hshsningihausi Brgt. 



One specimen; Museum number, 2663. 



5. Sphenopteris divaricata Gopp. 

 One specimen ; Museum number, 2GG3J. 



6. Sphenopteris (Zeilleria) Harveyi Lx. Sterile and fertile plants with racliis, PL 



xxix, iigs. 5, da, G. 



This fern, extremely variable and represented by many specimen 

 and under divers forms in the collectiou of Mr. I. C. Russell, was de- 

 scribed as Sphenopteris Harveyi Lx. (U. S. Coal Flora, p. 7GG, PI. 103, 

 figs. 7, 76), and later as Zeilleria delicatula Kidst. in Quart. Journ. Geol. 

 Soc, Vol. xl, p. 502, PI. xxv, the author, Mr. Robert Kidston, con- 

 sidering it as a synonym of Sphenopteris delicatula Stern., Vers. I, fascJ 

 ii, p. 30, PI. xxvi, fig. 5; S. meifolia Stern., Vers, ir, p. 5G, PL xx, fig. 5. 

 Cheilantheitcs meifolius Goepp., System Filic, p. 241, PI. xv, figs. 3, 

 4; S. delicatula Brgt., all forms represented by fragments of sterile 

 plants, whose relation to the above species is very obscure and doubtful, 

 while Mr. Kidston's figures represent only the fertile pinnae and pin- 

 nules. 



The species had evidently two forms, one for sterile parts of the 

 plants generally larger or at least with pinnules and lobes stronger (PI. 

 xxix, figs. 9, 0c), with tertiary or ultimate main rachis more or less flex- 

 uous or subgeniculate, the pinna? and pinnules either at right angles or 

 curved down at base, with divisions open or oblique, all the divisions 

 flat ; pinnules ovate in outline, two to six lobed ; lobes alternate dichot- 

 omous or opposite, linear, obtuse at apex, without trace of a medial 

 nerve, except at the base of the primary divisions or pinnules. In other 

 forms the lobes are narrower and longer, filiform, acuminate, open or 

 divaricate, the rachis of pinnae being subgeniculate, and altogether 

 comparable to Diplothmema subgeuiculata Stur. In others still, the 

 pinnules are shorter, the lobes shorter, erect, obtuse, bifid at apex, 

 traversed in the middle by a distinct percurring medial nerve, of char 

 acter similar to those of Sphenopteris divaricata Goepp. Indeed the pin- 

 nules by their size, their mode of division being either bifid or dichot- 

 omous, the lobes flat and without nerves, short and broad, or long anil 

 fiilform, oblique or divaricate, or distinctly simple nerved, may be com- 

 pared to a large number of species of Sphenopteris with more evidence 

 than to 8. delicatula Sterub., S. meifolia Sternb., etc. 





