CYCADITES. 33 



evidently belongs to a plant of very similar habit to that of 



C. Saporta ; it differs mainly in the greater breadth of the 

 pinnae, so far at least as it is possible to judge from Berger's 



figure. 



Another species which bears a still closer resemblance to 



C. Saporta, is C. Rajmahalensis, Old., described by Oldham, 

 from India. 1 The figures and description of this plant are in 

 close agreement with the Ecclesbourne Wealden species ; the seg- 

 ments of the Indian frond seem to be rather more closely arranged 

 and somewhat shorter than in the English form. It would, 

 however, be somewhat unwise to refer the Wealden specimens 

 to Oldham's species, considering the geological age of the two 

 plants, and the less perfect preservation of Cycadites Rajmahalensis. 

 In this, as in many other cases of fossil plants, we have to speak 

 cautiously as to the relationship of individual members of different 

 floras, and must trust rather to the comparative study of the floras 

 as a whole, than to the apparent identity of isolated elements. 



Trautschold's specimen of Cycadites acinaciformis, Traut., 2 is 

 similar to the present species, but probably not identical with it. 

 Schenk suggests that the Russian species is probably identical with 

 Pecopteris decipiens, Traut., and must be placed with the ferns. 

 It is difficult to speak with much confidence as to the nature 

 of the specimen figured as C. acinaciformis, but it certainly bears 

 a strong likeness to the cycadean genus. 3 



V. 2777. PL VIII. Fig. 2 (i natural size). 



This exceptionally fine specimen shows one frond 60 cm. in 

 length, and a second 38 cm. long, the latter being inclined to 

 the former in such a way as to suggest but little displacement 

 from their original position of growth on the parent stem. The 

 larger frond, as represented on a small scale in the photograph, 

 shows a striking uniformity in the length and breadth of the 

 numerous closely set pinnae. In several of the segments the 

 sharp apices are clearly preserved. Judging by other specimens, 

 in which the pinnse are longer and more nearly at right angles 



1 Oldhani and Morris (A.), Foss. Fl. Gond. p. 15, pi. viii. 



2 Trautschold (A. 3), Nouv. Mem. Soc. Nat. Moscou, vol. xiii. 1876, p. 34, 

 pi. xxi. fig. 1. 



3 Schenk (A. 2), Pal.ieontographica, vol. xix. p. 261. 



