Gelehrte Gesellschaften. 419 



phylls and sporangia, tlie stracture of the sporangial wall and of 

 the spores, and the whole habit of the strobilus. 



8pencerites, and especially 8. insignis, bears a considerable 

 VQ&emh\iVß.Q,Q io the Sigillariostrohus Crepini, of Zeiller, but cannot 

 be united with the genus Sigdlariostrohus, for the Insertion of the 

 sporangia in the latter, as shown in the Sigillariostrohus clliatus 

 of Kids ton, is totally difFerent. The autlior is much indebted both 

 to M. Zeiller and Mr. Kids ton, for the loan of their specimens 

 for examination. 



The generie and specific characters may provisionally ran as 

 follows : 



Spencerites , gen. nov. 



Cone consistings of a cylindrical axis, bearing numerous simple 

 ,sporophylls, arranged spirally, or in crowded alternating verticils. 



Sporophylls short, formed of a sub-cylindrical pedicel, ex- 

 panding into a large peltate lamina. 



Sporangia solitary on each sporophyll, inserted, by a narrow 

 "base, on the upper surface of the lamina, but free from the 

 pedicel. 



Sporangial wall consisting of a single layer of prosenchymatous 

 -cells. Spores winged. 



1. Spencerites insignis (Will). 



Lepidostrobus sp. Will. „Organisation of the Fossil Plants of 

 the Goal measures", Part 9, Phil. Trans., 1878, p. 340, figs. 39 

 to 47 and 51 to 57. 



Lepidostrobus insignis, Will. 1. c. Part. 10, Phil. Trans., 1880, 

 p. 502, figs. 11 and 12. 



Lepidodeudron Spenceri^ Will. 1. c. Part 16, Phil. Trans., 

 1889, p. 199, figs. 19 to 22; Part 19, Phil. Trans., 1893, p. 24, 

 figs 41 to 50. 



Cone pedunculate; peduncle bractigerous. Whole cone 8 — 

 10 mm in diameter. Axis, 3,5 — 5 mm in diameter. Sporophylls, 

 "2 — 2,5 mm long ; lamina distinctly peltate, vertically elongated. 



Sporangia approxiraately spherical. Spores tetrahedral, be- 

 coming spheroidal when free, with a hollow equatorial wing. 

 'Maximum diameter of spore, without wing, about 0,14 mm; 

 with wing, about 0,28 mm. Wood of axis without prominent 

 angles, with or without pith. 



Outer cortex containing distinct bands of sclerenchyma. 

 Locality, near Halifax and Huddersfield. 

 Horizon, Lower Coal-measures. 



2. Spencerites majusculus sp. nov. — Whole cone about 

 15 mm in diameter, axis about 9 mm in diameter. Sporophylls 

 about 3 mm long; lamina obscurely peltate, as seen in radial 

 section, but greatly elongated tangentially, attaining a breadth. 

 of 3 mm. 



Sporangia approximately sphercial. Spores having the form 

 •of quadrants of a sphere, with three narrow wings. Maximum 



27* 



