146 THE MEDALS OF CREATION. Cab. VIER 
common in the coal-shales and grits, that there are but few 
large slabs with vegetable remains that do not exhibit exam- 
ples of the elegant verticillate foliage of one or more species. 
The term Asterophyllites, (expressive of the star-like form of 
the leaves,) applied to this family by M. Ad. Brongniart, in- 
cludes several fossil plants which are known to geologists 
under different generic names ; the following concise account 
may be useful to the student.” 
1. Calamodendron.—These are arborescent stems, ligneous — 
internally, aud covered with a smooth carbonaceous crust, 
without regular longitudinal striz, and not articulated ; but 
the woody axis covered by this bark is deeply striated and 
articulated, resembling in this respect the true Calamites. 
These stems have a large central pith, or medullary column, 
surrounded by a ligneous zone, which is formed of radiated 
bands, without circles of growth: the structure of the 
carbonized bark is unknown. 
2. Asterophyllites.—These are supposed to be the branches 
and foliage of the stems above described. 
3. Sphenophyllum.—Plants, differing in the form of the 
leaves, but analogous in structure and mode of fructification — 
to the Asteraphe ibis 
4. Annularia.—Herbaceous aquatic plants, distinct from 
the preceding. 
5. Volkmannia.—These fossil plants are Asterophyllites — 
in fructification. 
The Asterophyllites (Lign. 42) had branched articulated — 
stems, with verticillate leaves, arranged perpendicularly to 
the branches which supported them : but as the foliage is in 
most instances partially concealed, the natural form is but 
seldom observable. 
The original plants are supposed to have been a tribe of 
* Consult Tableau des Genres de Végétaux Fossiles, par M. Ad. Brong- 
niart. Dict. dHist. Nat. Paris, 1849. 
