OTOZAMITES. 57 



fronds. Brongniart 1 says that Otozamites Sucklandi, Brong., was 

 figured by De la Beche 2 as a fern from the Lias of Axminsten 

 and by Lindley and Hutton as Otopteris obtusa,* the typical 

 species of the genus. The same writer suggests the advisability 

 of distinguishing certain leaf forms under another genus, Splieno- 

 zamites, of which the chief characteristic is the absence of an 

 auriculate base in the pinna? ; this genus has come into general 

 use, and serves a useful purpose as a convenient provisional 

 term. Bornemann 4 has suggested that probably some of the 

 plants referred to Otozamites are without true auriculate pinna?, 

 the apparently eared form being merely a result of pressure on 

 the upper surface of the thick pinna?. He removes some of 

 Braun's species from the genus, and speaks of Otozamites brevifolius 

 (Sternb.) and 0. graminem (Morr.) (^Zarnites graminens, Morris) 

 as typical species. The following is Bornemann's emended version 

 of Braun's diagnosis: 5 "Leaves pinnate; pinna? approximate, 

 alternate, or subopposite, lanceolate, pointed or more or less 

 blunt, auriculate at the base, and attached to the rachis only by 

 the lower part, the upper corner of the auriculate base prolonged 

 and partly covering the rachis. Veins radiate from the point of 

 attachment towards the margin of the pinna?, and are for the 

 most part dichotomous." This definition appears to be on the 

 whole satisfactory, but Bornemann unfortunately errs in describing 

 the pinna? as attached to the rachis by the lower portion ; the 

 manner of insertion of some auriculate pinna? cannot correctly be 

 described according to his definition. Schenk has discussed at 

 some length the botanical position of the genus Otopteris in his 

 Flora der Grenzschichten ; 6 he draws attention to a specimen of 

 which the segments exhibit a peculiar marginal structure, 

 suggestive of a /Yens-like fertile leaf. The structure of the 

 epidermal cells is also referred to in support of the inclusion of 

 this genus among the Filicina ; but in his later writings Schenk 

 speaks of Otozamites as a member of the Cycadacece. 



1 Tableau, p. 61. 



2 PI. vii. fig. 2. 



3 (A.), Foss. Flor. pi. cxxviii. 



4 p. 49. 



5 p. 52. 



6 p. 135. 



