310 Proceedings of the Royal Societi/ of Victoria. 



organization ; for, as usually found, they consist only of more or 

 less decorticated stems and branches, associated with fragments 

 of leaves. The stem-remains generally present a striking 

 appearance as fossil specimens, with their ornament of regular 

 rhomboidal depressions ; but the conditions of their preservation 

 did not, in the majority of cases, favour the retention of their 

 internal structure. It is, therefore, worthy of notice that some 

 of the stems, branches, and even leaves of Lepidodendron from 

 the Drummond Range show very clearly, under a moderate 

 magnification, the fundamental tissue of the cortex underlying 

 the epidermis, as a cellular meshwork. This structure seems to 

 be invariably preserved in our specimens as a replacement by 

 limonite, the latter being most probably derived from the actual 

 rock in which the fossils are embedded, and which seems to have 

 been originally a ferruginous and silty clay. 



A specimen showing the parenchymatous tissue overlying the 

 traces of the ridges bordering the rhombic leaf cushions of the 

 stem is here figured (PI. XXVIL, Fig. 4). 



The same specimen shows what may eventually prove to be 

 the ligule ; and in comparing this structure with other known 

 examples it will be seen that it is here also seated in a pit or 

 depression. Further, it occupies a similar relative position to 

 the vascular impression ; and in L. Australe both are nearer than 

 is usual in other species to the upper angle of the rhomljic area." 



Another example of the occurrence of the fundamental tissue 

 preserved in L. australe is now also figured (PI. XXVIL, Fig 5). 

 It is presumably near the extremity of a slender terminal 

 branchlet. This particular specimen is of much interest, on 

 account of its showing so well the parenchyma strengthened by 

 traversing plates of sclerenchyuia.'* 



Evidences of leaves. — The remains of leaf-fragments are 

 abundant in the shales containing stems of Lepidodendron, but 

 have been much mutilated prior to their enclosure in the original 

 nmd which formed the shale. 



We now figure two of tiie more interesting specimens, one 

 representing the back of a long parallel-sided leaf, having a 



1 Compare Scott, Studies in Fossil Botaii.v, 1900, p. 144, lig. ii7n. 



2 See Solins-Laubach, Fossil Botany, 181)1, p. 217, fig. 22a (after Renault). 



