BAIERA. 26T 



"rather for the sake of giving the plant a station and a name," 

 than because they "had any reason for considering it of the same 

 nature as S. Murray ana, further than its similarity of appearance." 

 The Solenites furcata of Lindley & Hutton differs from S. Murrayana 

 of these authors in consisting of a definite petiole, which divides 

 into several regularly forked and narrow branches, disposed in 

 such a way as to form a broadly triangular stalked leaf, having 

 very slender acicular segments. Braun referred Solenites furcata, 

 L. & H., to his new genus Baiera, and Brongniart, in his- 

 Tableau, mentions this species under Braun's name as Baiera 

 furcata, but, in view of the distinct form of the English plant, he 

 considers Psilotites a more suitable generic designation. Saporta 

 at first included Solenites furcata in the genus Jeanpaulia, and 

 regarded it as a fern. Schimper : had previously altered the name 

 given by Lindley & Hutton to Jeanpaulia Lindleyana, erroneously 

 including Sphenopteris longifolia, Phillips, as a synonym. At 

 a later date Saporta substituted his genus Trichopitys, founded 

 in 1875, and classed the plant among the Conifers in the tribe 

 Salisburia, reproducing the figures of Lindley & Hutton to illustrate 

 the similarity between the Oolitic species and the Permian species 

 Trichopitys heteromorpha. The resemblance between the two plants 

 is not, however, very close, and it is doubtful whether they should 

 be referred to the same genus. Nathorst expresses doubt as to the 

 advisability of separating Solenites furcata from the genus Baiera. 

 Solms-Laubach, 2 on the other hand, favours the generic identity of 

 the two plants included by Lindley & Hutton in their genus 

 Solenites. Solms speaks of Solenites furcatus as "known only 

 from some scanty remains in not too good a state of preservation." 

 The examples in the Leckenby Collection, including both young 

 and fully expanded leaves, are well-preserved impressions, and lend 

 support to Braun's view that Baiera is the most appropriate genus. 

 Solenites furcata differs from such plants as Bun bury named Baiera 

 gracilis, and Schenk and Hcer referred to Baiera Muensteriana 

 (Presl), only in the narrower form of the segments, and shows no 

 differences sufficient to justify the adoption of another generic term. 

 The specific name Lindley ana has been retained, as the most 



1 Schimper (69), p. 683. 



2 Solms -Laubath (91), p. 193. 



