WITHAMIA. 175 



A purely provisional genus like Withamia seems decidedly 

 preferable for the present species, to one which, in any way 

 implies a definite botanical position. It is by no means clear 

 how such a plant can well be included in the Cyca&acece; and 

 we have no evidence of sufficient value to enable us to assign 

 the species to any other particular group. In the English Wealden 

 rocks there has not so far been found any trustworthy record 

 of an angiospermous plant. The Conifers and Ferns may be 

 mentioned as possible groups in which to include this species, 

 but as yet we have not sufficient evidence to warrant the selection 

 of a generic name, which would imply a connection with one or 

 other of these sub-classes. 



In a letter written about a fortnight before his death, the 

 Marquis of Saporta wrote to me at some length in answer to 

 an expression of doubt on my part as to the cycadean nature 

 of his Cycadorachis armata, and our more perfect English species. 

 The following sentences are taken from his letter, written on 

 January 10th, 1895 1 ; his words may be quoted in full; they 

 are valuable, not merely as giving the opinion of one so well 

 qualified to speak on such a question, but as some of the last 

 from the ready pen of this indefatigable and accomplished student. 



"Je suis en effet ravi 1'apprendre que vous avez rencontre 

 dans votre Wealdien une portion cle fronde, encore munie de 

 pinnules en place de mon Cycadoracliis armata (Pal. frang. 

 Cycadees, p. 195, pi. cxvii. fig. 1). Point de doute relativernent 

 & 1'etroite conformite de votre echantillou avec le mien les epines 

 sont egales des deux parts et distributes de la merne fagon sur 

 le rachis. Du Kimmeridgien au Wealdien la distance verticale 

 n'est pas telle que la meme espece de Cycadees n'ait pu se 

 maintenir et reparaitre sans changement appreciable. Le type 

 est assurement curieux, et nierite d'obtenir line denomination 

 generique. A votre place je donnerais a ce type de Cycadees le 

 nom ftAcanthozamites. Remarquez d'abord, cher Monsieur, qu'il 

 n'y a dans la presence de ces epines acerees disposees le long du 

 rachis de la fronde rien d'insolite et pour en etre persuade vous 

 n'avez qu'a consulter la figure 1, pi. xi. du volume des Cycadees 

 de mes plantes Jurassiques. Cette figure represente la base d'une 



1 The Marquis of Saporta died at Aix-en-Provenee on January 26th, 1895. 



