FLORA OF THE CARBONIFEROUS EPOCH. 



49 



ites, borne on the basis of but slightly modified leaves. This 

 establishes the opinion that Sigillaria was an acrogenous plant 

 belonging to Lycopodiacea3. Brongniart reckons it as repre- 

 senting an extinct form of Gymnospeniis, and King, having 

 erroneously associated the Cyclopteris with it, places it between 

 the Ferns and Cycadace^e. Mr. Carruthers informs me that 

 he has examined the stem of a true fluted Sigillaria, with the 

 tissues preserved, and that these agree with the structure of 

 Lepidodendron, a position in which he had already placed it 

 from the structure of its fruit. 



Lepidodendron (Figs. 40 to 44) is another genus of the 

 coal-measures which differs from those of the present day 



Fig. 41. 



(Plate IV. Fig. 3). Lepidodendrons, or fossil Lycopodiacese, 

 had spikes of fructification comparable in size to the cones 

 of firs and cedars, and containing very large sporangia, even 

 larger than those of Isoetes, to which they approach in form 

 and structure. Schimper, in 1870, enumerates 56 species of 

 Lepidodendron, all arborescent and carboniferous. The stem 

 of a Lepidodendron is from 20 to 45 feet high, marked outside 



Figs. 40 to 44 exhibit the stems and fructification of Lepidoden 

 dron. Fig. 40. Bifurcating stem of Lepidodendron ohovatum (elegans)^ 

 showing the scale-like scars, and the narrow-pointed leaves, resembling 

 those of Lycopodium, but much larger. Fig. 41. Stem oi Leindo- 

 dendron crenatmn, with the scars of its leaves. 



E 



