42 PAL^ONTOLOGICAL BOTANY. 



It has pinnules between crescent and fan shaped. (Mem. 

 Geol. Survey of Edinburgh, 1861, p. 151.) 



Among the Ferns found in the clays, ironstones, and sand- 

 stones of the Carboniferous period, we shall give the characters 

 of some by way of illustration.* Pecopteris (Fig. 23) seems to 

 be the fossil representative, if not congener, of Pteris. Peco- 

 pteris heterophylla (Fig. 24) has a marked resemblance to 

 Pteris esculenta of New Zealand. The frond of Pecopteris 

 is pinnatifid, or bi-tri-pinnatifid — the leaflets adhering to the 

 rachis by the whole length of their base, sometimes confluent ; 

 the midrib of the leaflets runs to the point, and the veins 

 come off" from it nearly perpendicularly, and the fructification 

 when present is at the end of the veins. Neuropteris (Figs. 

 25, 26, 27) has a pinnate or bipinnate frond, with pinna3 

 somewhat cordate at the base — the midrib of the pinnge 

 vanishing towards the apex, and the veins coming off* obliquely, 

 and in an arched manner. Neuropteris gigantea (Fig. 26) 

 has a thick bare rachis, according to Miller, and seems to 

 resemble much Osmunda regalis. Odontopteris has leaves 

 like the last, but its leaflets adhere to the stalk by their whole 

 base, the veins spring from the base of the leaflets, and pass 

 on towards the point. Splienopteris (Fig. 28) has a twice or 

 thrice pinnatifid frond, the leaflets being narrowed at the 

 base, often wedge-shaped, and the veins generally arranged as 

 if they radiated from the base. Splienopteris elegans resem- 

 bled Pteris aquilina in having a stout leafless rachis, which 

 divided at a height of seven or eight inches from its club-like 

 base into two equal parts, each of which continued to undergo 

 two or three successive bifurcations. A little below the first 

 forking two divided pinna3 were sent off: A very complete 

 specimen, with the stipe, w^as collected in the coalfield near 



■'''■ In giving names to fossil Ferns, the Greek word -Trrs^lg, meaning 

 a Fern, is often used with a prefix indicating some character in the 

 form of the leaves, or stem, or fructification : such as, 'ttUoc, a comb ; 

 vs-j^ov, a nerve; odovg, a tooth; 6(priv, a wedge; zavXog, a stalk or 

 stem ; '/.vaXog, a circle ; ^X'^^^} ■"• ^pli^ ^^^- 



