CTCADACE^. 1 1 



it is hardly possible to definitely refer to either cycads or ferns ; 

 the latter specimen, from the Culm beds, is more distinct, but still 

 by no means a satisfactory proof of the existence of a cycadean 

 species in the Culm flora. Solms-Laubach l considers that Goppert 

 was probably justified in referring the last-named species to the 

 Cycadece. An examination of the type specimens in the Breslau 

 Museum of these two species of Cycadites led me to regard 

 C. gyrosus as too imperfect for identification, and suggested the 

 possibility that C. taxodinus might perhaps be regarded as a 

 fragment of a coniferous branch. If the evidence for Carboniferous 

 cycads rested simply on Gb'ppert's specimens it would be of little 

 value ; but there have been many more perfect examples recorded 

 from this formation. From the Permo-Carboniferous rocks of 

 France we have several records of cycadean fronds. The genus 

 Pterophyllum has been discovered in the Upper Carboniferous beds 

 of Montchanin (Saone-et-Loire), and the fragment is figured by 

 Saporta and Marion as Pterophyllum Grand' Euryanum, Sap. et 

 Mar. 2 ; the form of the pinnae and their manner of attachment to the 

 rachis support this determination. Another species is recorded by 

 Renault, under the name of Sphenozamites Hochei, 3 from the Permian 

 of Autun ; the figure of this plant, given by Saporta and Marion, 4 

 suggests a strong likeness to Noeggerathia, and it may be that if, 

 as some believe, the latter genus must be assigned to the Filicince, 

 the same position should be given to Renault's species. Noeggera- 

 thia may be left for the present as one of those doubtful forms 

 which cannot be definitely assigned to any clearly defined position. 

 From the Commentry coal-field, from which so many interesting 

 additions have been made by Renault and Zeiller to the Coal- 

 Measures flora, we have several new species of cycadean leaves. 

 Zamites carbonarius, Ren. and Zeill., 5 is the name given to the 

 largest of a set of frond fragments from a particular locality in 

 this coal-field ; the type specimen consists of a portion of a stiff 

 rachis bearing a few alternately placed oval pinnae, and the form 

 of the segments is not unlike that of Noeggerathia. In addition to 



1 Fossil Botany, p. 86. 



2 Saporta and Marion, vol. i. p. 109. 

 * Renault (2). 



4 Loc. cit. p. 109. 



6 Flor. Commentry, p. 614, pi. Ixvii. fig. 7. See also Renault and Zeiller (1). 



