26 CYCADITES. 



impression from the Middle Rothliegende of Fossendorf, Saxony, 1 

 which he speaks of as " Cycadites ? or Walcliia sp.," but does 

 not consider it sufficiently distinct to allow of accurate identi- 

 fication. The figure entirely justifies Sterzel's doubtful attitude. 

 In the Mesozoic beds Cycadites fronds become more abundant ; 

 a list of most of the species has been given by Solms-Laubach. 2 

 A few of the so-called Cycadites species call for special mention. 

 The Jurassic specimens described by Leckenby, from Cloughton, 

 as Cycadites zamioides 3 are probably, as ISTathorst suggests, 

 fragments of a conifer. The type specimen of Leckenby's 

 species in the Woodwardian Museum, Cambridge, bears a label 

 on which Nathorst has written, " A conifer of the genus 

 Palissya" ; and Kichards, 4 who examined the specimens a few 

 years ago, adopts this view. In the case of some small indistinct 

 impressions, it is often very difficult to decide between a twig of 

 a conifer with its spirally arranged leaves extended in one 

 plane, and a small cycadean frond with its uninerved pinnae 

 inserted on the two sides of a rachis. A branch of Cephalotaxus 

 Fortunei, Hook, might very easily be mistaken for Cycadites if 

 found in a fossil state with the details of structure imperfectly 

 preserved. Heer has described several species of Cycadites from 

 Arctic localities, but the figures do not inspire confidence in his 

 determinations. Cycadites Dicksom 5 may very probably be a true 

 Cycadites C. sibiricus, Heer, 6 and C. gramineus, Heer, 7 from 

 the Jurassic rocks of Siberia, are both founded on the merest 

 fragments of single pinnae, and cannot be taken as trustworthy 

 records. The institution of species on such minute fragments 

 as the figures represent, is to be greatly deplored; the result 

 can only be either to mislead those who are willing to accept 

 all fossil species described by well-known authors, or to deter 

 the more sceptical from attaching any importance to fossil plant 



1 Sterzel, p. 140, pi. xii. fig. 12. 



2 (A.), Fossil Botany, p. 86. 



3 Leckenby (A.), Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xx. 1864, p. 77, pi. viii. fig. 1. 



4 (1), P- 8. 



5 Heer, Fl. foss. Arct. vol. iii. pt. ii. p. 97, pis. xxvii. and xxviii. ; and 

 vol. vL pi. xiv. fig. 10. 



6 Ibid. vol. v. pt. ii. p. 16, pi. iv. fig. 1. 



7 Ibid. fig. 2, etc. 



