number of isolated specimens have also been found which 
show the chief morphological features of the whole in- 
florescence. There is a leafless main axis which bears dis- 
tichous bud-like branches, and each bud-branch bears 
spirally disposed bracts which have a single mesarch leaf- 
trace. The branch possessed a ring of vascular strands. 
The sex of the inflorescence was not apparent because 
neither stamens nor ovules were preserved. On the basis 
of the sturdiness of the bracts, Scott suggested that it 
was female. Renault believed (on limited material) that 
the bracts of the female strobilus were thicker, more 
robust, and more coriaceous than those of the male. Re- 
cently Hirmer (11) has placed this fossil form in Goth- 
ania, aname which in my opinion is unnecessary, because 
it isa form-genus within a form-genus. As we have little 
acquaintance with the axes of the Grand Croix Cordai- 
anthus, it seems undesirable to segregate certain forms of 
Cordaianthus which have an axis with a large pith or a 
ring of xylem bundles. 
Turning now to the Cordaianthus from the Stephanian 
of central France, we find a great volume of published 
observations and opinions. In fact our concepts of the 
fructification of the Cordaitales are based exclusively on 
them. 
The female fructification has usually been described 
as having stout, woody bracts (spirally disposed on the 
axis) with a single ovule borne on a short stalk in the axil 
of some of these bracts. Some years ago, Schoute (17) 
made a study of the phyllotaxy of Cordaianthus zeillert 
and concluded that each organ which bears an ovule re- 
places a leaf; thus the ovules and their pedicels have the 
morphological value of very simple sporophylls. ‘The 
female fructification is a strobilus, not an inflorescence. 
Cordaianthus wiliamsoni Renault has a thick conical 
axis bearing spirally disposed woody bracts, in the axils 
[9 ] 
