[MATTHEW] UPPER DEVONIAN PLANTS 107 



ceolate Lycopodium like leaves have long been known. The foliage 

 leaf of B. (C) Kiltorkense occurs singly, or in horizontal or obliquely 

 ascending whorls of 10-20 members, and form apical tufts. It is a 

 linear subulate leaf 12-15 cm. long, with a single central vascular 

 bundle running through its length. It tapers gradually from the 

 point of attachment, where it is one millimetre wide, to its apex, and 

 shows no specialized basal portion. It is on the whole such a leaf as 

 one might expect, judging from the character of the fertile leaf, and 

 assuming that in such a primitive type of plant the fertile and sterile 

 would differ but little from each other in general form. . If 



the leaf is a mere appendicular outgrowth of the axis, arising at first 

 as a slight proliferation of it, B. (C) Kiltorkense would show, one 

 would expect, a small inconspicuous leaf, instead of the pronounced 

 elongated one described. It is worthy of note that C. hercynium is 

 shown to have had leaves of the same shape as B. (C.) Kiltorkense, but 

 are only half or one third of the length of those of the latter. But for 

 this I should be inclined to agree with Nathorst who sees nothing to 

 distinguish Potonié's C. hercynium from B.{C) Kiltorkense. 



Stigmaria Stage (Plate III, Fig. 1.) 



"One of the commonest Carboniferous fossils is Stigmaria ficoides, 

 now known to be the rhizome or underground (or prostrate) stem of 

 Sigillaria and also of Lepidodendron. As Bothrodendron (and Cyclo- 

 stigma) are so closely allied to these two genera, one might naturally 

 expect them to have a more or less similar Stigmaria stage. Is there 

 any evidence of this ? Potonié (Die Silur-Flora) gives a detailed and 

 well illustrated account of Dechenia romeriana and concludes that this 

 species is a Stigmaria, and the underground organ of C. hercynia. 

 His figure shows the Knorria stage of the leaf scars attributed to 

 Bothrodendron (Cyclostigma) Lepidodendron and especially L. Velthei- 

 mii and L. Volkmanni are often reported as present when the fossil is 

 really Bothrodendron (Cyclostigma). 



Professor Johnson thinks there is no Lepidodendron in the 

 Kiltorcan deposits. A specimen in the Geological Museum in London 

 (named Lepidodendron), shows the connection between Bothrodendron 

 (Cyclostigma) Kiltorkense and a Stigmaria rhizome. From his own 

 field observations and the specimen above described, Professor John- 

 son concludes that the root of B. (C) Kiltorkense is a Stigmaria. 



Stigmaria Appendages, Plate III, Fig. 1. 



These are shown in some of Professor Johnson's figures. "They 

 were about 24 cm. long and 2 cm. wide; they were traversed by a 



