THE PERMIAN SYSTKM 325 



tcnni (1 Autunian by the French geologists ; (2) a mass of red sand- 

 stones well developed in Germany, where they are known as Rothlie- 

 gende, but for which the name Saxonian has been proposed ; (3) a 

 group of limestones and marls, known in Germany as the Zechstein, 

 but for which Renevier has proposed the name Thuringian. 



In the British Isles there are several different facies of Permian, 

 and there is little doubt that these include representatives of the 

 Saxonian and Thuringian, but it is uncertain whether we have 

 any equivalent of the Autunian. In Russia and Southern Asia 

 tin- whole system consists of marine deposits with a much more 

 varied fauna, and Russian geologists have proposed special names 

 for parts of their succession. The correlation of English, German, 

 and Russian divisions is shown below : 



English. Germany. Russia. 



Magnesian limestone. Thuringian. Thuringian. 



Penrith sandstone ? Saxonian. Kostroraian. 



Shropshire Permian ? Autunian. Artinskian. 



B. LIFE OP THE PERIOD 

 1. The Flora 



The Permian flora is on the whole very like that of the 

 Carboniferous, fern-like Pteridophytes (Pecopteris, Odontopteris), 

 Calami tes, and Tree Ferns (Psaronius) being still the prevalent forms, 

 and many of the same genera being present At the same time it 

 differs both in the absence of certain genera, in the greater relative 

 development of others, especially Callipteris, and in the presence of 

 numerous Mesozoic types, especially Coniferse, Cycads, and Ginkgos. 

 Thus Xigillaria and Lepidodendron have almost disappeared, while 

 IValchia is abundant together with the new Coniferous genera 

 Ullmannia. Among (?) Pteridosperms Callipteris, Schizopteris, and 

 (in India and the southern hemisphere) Glossopteris are new and 

 characteristic forms. Cordaites and Cordioxylon ( = Araucarites) 

 are not uncommon. Cycads are represented by Pterophyllum and 

 Plagiozamites. Leaves of the curious tree called Grinkgo, still 

 existing in China, are also found, as well as those of Baiera, a long 

 extinct genus of similar affinities. 



The following are some of the most characteristic species of 

 plants : 



Pteridospermoe, Callipteris conferta, Neuropteris auriculata, Schizopteris 



Gumbeli, Tseniopteris multinervis. 

 Equisetales. Calamites gigas, Annularia stellata. 



Coniferalex. Walchia piniformis, W. liypnoides, W. filiciformis, 



Ullmannia Bronni, U. Geinitzi. 



