BENNETTITES. 



143 



directly outwards and breaking up into a doiible series of small 

 bundles, which are parallel to the superior and inferior surfaces of 

 the petiole, except that a loop is sent down from the upper series 

 into the centre of the petiole. The section of the petiole is sub- 

 quadrangular." 



Lignier has recently extended this definition to include the 

 characteristic features of the inflorescence ; he makes the following 

 addition to the above diagnosis 1 : 



" Fruit haut de 3 centim. . Bractees involucrales lanceolees, 

 acuminees, depourvues de limbe. Foils ecaitteux peu larges, 

 souvent ventrus, a cellules allongees perpendiculairement aux 

 faces. Graines longues de 3 a 4 millim., larges de 1-2 a 2-5, non 

 anguleuses (ou a peine anguleuses), depourvues d'epiderme 

 rayonnant. Assise reticulee sclereuse et formee de cellules qui 

 ont 60 fL de longeur sur 50^ de large." 



The following specimens are included here as somewhat doubtful 

 examples of Bennettites Gibsonianus : 



38360. Figured by Mantell as Clathraria Lyellii, Medals of 

 Creation, vol. i. 1854 (edit. 2), p. 163 ; Petrifactions and their 

 Teachings, 1851, p. 46; Geological Excursions round the Isle of 

 Wight, 1854, p. 214. 



The old label on this specimen gives Tilgate Forest as the 

 locality, but Carruthers has substituted Brook Point. The pre- 

 servation of this waterworn example is very different from that 

 of the larger blocks of Sennettites. The surface, as figured by 

 Mantell, shows the characteristic ramental network with the 

 meshes occupied by petiole bases. Towards the right-hand upper 

 corner of the specimen there appears to be an inflorescence shown 

 on the waterworn surface. In the absence of any well-defined 

 inflorescence, and in view of the striking similarity to, if not 

 identity with, V. 3234 (labelled by Carruthers B. Saxbyanus), it 

 will be better to regard the exact position of this specimen as 

 somewhat doubtful. Solms 2 quotes Mantell's description of this 

 fossil, and says he believes he recognizes the specimen in the 

 British Museum (Geological Department) Collection as one on which 

 the word " Brook" is written in ink on the upper surface. There 



1 Lignier (1), p. 76. 



2 Loc. cit. p. 420. 



