1 60 T^NIOPTERIS. 



1864. Taniopteris major, Leckenby, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. xx. p. 76^ 



1869. Macrotconiopteris major, Schimper, Trait, pal. veg. vol. i. p. 610. 



1875. Taniopteris major, Phillips, Geol. Yorks. p. 204, lign. 15. 



1877. Maerotaniopteris ovata, Feistmantel, Pal. Ind. (77 1 ), pi. xxxvii. 



1892. Taniopteris major, Fox-Strangways, Tab. Foss. p. 136. 



1900. Taniopteris major, Seward, Manchester Lit. and Phil. Soc. vol. xliv. 

 p. 14. 



Type-specimen. Manchester Museum. 1 



Frond simple, similar in venation to T. vittata, but of greater 

 breadth in proportion to its length than the previous species. 

 The midrib in T. major is narrower and less prominent than in 

 T. vittata. Veins approximately at right angles to the midrib, 

 rather farther apart than in T. vittata, forked either close to the- 

 midrib or at varying distances from their point of origin. 



The specimen figured by Lindley & Hutton from a drawing 

 by "Williamson, and now in the Manchester Museum, illustrates 

 the characteristic form of this broader-leaved T&niopterii very 

 clearly ; the dichotomously branched veins are clearly shown. 

 Some authors have called attention to the venation of this species 

 as a distinguishing feature ; in T. vittata the secondary veins are 

 said to be simple or once forked, while in the broader form the 

 veins are repeatedly forked. This supposed distinction does not 

 hold as a satisfactory means of identification ; in both the long, 

 and narrow as well as in the broader fronds we find the same 

 manner of forking in the lateral veins. The differences indeed 

 between T. vittata and T. major are barely sufficient to warrant 

 a specific separation, but as the greater breadth of T. major appears 

 to be a fairly constant character, as well as other small differences, 

 it is probably better to retain both names. 



Nathorst 2 has suggested that T. major may be an entire leaf 

 of Anomozamites Lindleyanus, but this is, I think, improbable. 

 The best specimen in the British Museum Collection is the clearly 

 preserved portion of a leaf associated with some impressions pf 

 MarcJiantites erectm (Leek.) (No. 39,328) ; this form of frond, 

 however, is not well represented. 



It is not improbable that the short and broad leaf described 

 by Lindley & Hutton as Otopteris ovalis 3 may be the young frond 



1 Seward (00), p. 14. 2 Nathorst (80 1 ), p. 63. 



3 Lindley & Hutton (37), pi. ccx. 



