JOUENAL 



OF THE 



EOYAL MICROSCOPICAL SOCIETY. 



FEBRUARY, 1906. 



TRANSACTIONS OF THE SOCIETY. 



I. — On a " Fern " Synangium from the Lower Goal Measures 

 of Shore, Lancashire. 



By D. M. S. Watson. 



(Bead December 20, 1905.) 



Plates I. to III. 



The specimens of a synangium which form the subject of this 

 paper are contained in a slide (No. A89 of my collection) cut by 

 Mr. Lomax, of Bolton, from a coal nodule from the Upper Foot 

 mine, at Shore, which has been opened up by W. H. Sutcliffe, F.G.S. 

 This slide contains in all ten sections of this type of synangium, 

 fortunately fairly well preserved, but all, unfortunately, detached 

 from their support. 



General Description. — The synangium consists of from four to 

 seven sporangia, each provided with a separate wall, grouped round 

 a central receptacle, which is hollowed out into a cup above. The 

 whole is surrounded by a continuous integument. 



The structure seems to have been fairly substantial, and to 

 have been attached to the organ which bore it by a comparatively 

 small base. 



The base apparently received a bundle from the stalk or 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE I. 



Cyathotrachus altus sp. n. 



Fig. 1. — Transverse section, showing columella, sporangia, and spores, x 100. 

 „ 2. — Transverse section, showing the separate wall of each sporangium and 

 columella, x 100. 



Feb. 21st, 1906 b 



