32 CYCADITES. 



diagnosis in Dioonites abietinus 1 (Gopp.), as represented in 

 pi. xxxvii. fig. 1 of Schenk's monograph. Schimper retains 

 Homer's species, and unites with it Pterophyllum Dunlcerianum, 

 Gopp., as figured by Dunker, 2 but in this case the figure shows 

 very clearly that the venation is not of the Cycadites type. In 

 the face of Schenk's statements, we cannot, then, accept any of 

 Dunker' s figures of what he describes as species of Cycadites 

 as really examples of that genus ; and, as Saporta 3 points out, the 

 only representatives of Cycadites so far known for beds of approxi- 

 mately Wealden age are C. Romeri, Schenk, and C. Heerii, 

 Schenk. In the English specimens referred to the new species 

 C. Saporta the preservation is fortunately good, and leaves no 

 doubt as to the existence of a true midrib in the pinnae. 

 C. Romeri agrees to some extent with this species, but differs 

 in its broader pinnae and their disposition on the frond axis. The 

 specimens of C. Saporta are unusually large, and hence enable 

 us to obtain a good idea as to the general habit of the frond ; 

 if it were not for this fact one might be inclined to include them, 

 under Schenk's species. The plant described by Braun from the 

 Jurassic sandstones of Steinstedt as C. rectangular is* differs in 

 its shorter and broader pinnae, and in the fact that they are more 

 distinctly at right angles to the rachis. Some of Saporta's figures 

 of what he regards as C. rectangular is, are much more like 

 C. Saportce than the type specimen figured by Braun ; cf. especi- 

 ally pi. xiii. figs. 1 and 3 of the Flore Jurassique. Saporta 

 includes C. pectinatus, Berg., as a synonym of Braun' s species, 

 and adopts the term rectangular is in preference to the older name 

 pectinatm, because of the use of the latter term by Lindley and 

 Hutton in connection with the genus Zamites ; 5 perhaps hardly 

 a sufficiently sound argument to overrule the priority of Berger's 

 term. 



Berger's small fragment as figured in his pi. iii. fig. 4, 



1 (A. 2), p. 234. Goppert, and not Miquel, appears to be author of the two 

 specific names abietinus and Dunkerianus ; Schenk refers both these species 

 to Miquel. 



2 Schimper (A.), Trait, pal. veg. vol. ii. p. 180. 



3 Loc. cit. p. 72. 



* Braun (A.), Palaeontographica, vol. ix. p. 56, pi. xiv. fig. 7. 

 5 Saporta, loc. cit. p. 70. 



