tl OTOZAMITES. 



shows a median groove in the upper surface of the rachis between 

 the two rows of segments. The veins, apparently not very distinctly 

 shown, are described as parallel, uniform, and delicate. Schenk's 

 fig. 3, pi. xxxiv. probably represents, as in Bunker's fig. 5, 

 the under surface of a frond, but in fig. 4 of Schenk's plate we 

 have a small piece of leaf seen from above, and here the median 

 groove and manner of insertion of the segments are indistinctly 

 seen. A comparison of V. 2123 (PI. I. Fig. 1) with Schenk's 

 figs. 4 and 4a reveals a fairly close resemblance ; the corre- 

 spondence in the general form of the fronds and pinnae suggests 

 the same species. In the German specimens we have only small 

 and imperfect fragments, but in the Sussex examples the pre- 

 servation is particularly good, and the details well marked. The 

 pinnae of the English specimens do not in every case show 

 a distinctly auriculate base ; it is only here and there that this 

 feature can be seen. Considering the difference in the manner 

 of preservation in the two sets of specimens, it is not much to 

 be wondered at if no trace of the lobed base can be detected in 

 the more imperfect specimens. Another important point is the 

 probability, that Schenk's fig. 4 is the only specimen from the 

 German Wealden in which we have a view of the upper surface 

 of the rachis. 



A plant from the Lower Cretaceous rocks of Portugal, originally 

 figured by Morris 1 as Zamites gramineus var. mundce, and after- 

 wards by Heer 2 as Otozamites angustifolius, shows a certain amount 

 of resemblance to the present forms; compare especially Heer, 

 pi. ix. fig. 10 and fig. 3b. It must be admitted that the 

 English specimens have a broader rachis than is apparent in 

 Bunker's figures, but this may easily be due to the different 

 manner of fossilization, and cannot be relied upon as an essential 

 difference, considering the nature of the material. Some of 

 Saporta's figures of Otozamites latior, Sap., resemble in general 

 characters the Wealden species, but differ in some points of detail 

 which sufficiently separate the two forms. 3 A comparison of 

 Saporta's pi. xcvii. figs. 1 and 3 with the present specimens 

 shows very clearly the different appearance presented by an upper 



1 (3), pi. xxvi. fig. 7. 



J Heer, loc. cit. pi. ix. 



3 Saporta, pis. xcvii. and xcviii. 



