T2ENIOPTEHIS. 127 



Taeniopteris Beyrichii (Schenk), var. superba. 



The much larger size of some of the specimens and the closer 

 arrangement of the lateral veins have led me to distinguish them 

 from T. Beyrichii, as a definite variety. 



Possibly, when better material is discovered, it will be necessary 

 to separate those larger fronds as a separate species; for the 

 present the specimens available are hardly sufficiently distinct to 

 admit of more than a convenient descriptive term, such as var. 



Saporta has already used the same word as a specific title, but 

 we may use it in this instance in a less precise sense and in- 

 dicative, at the same time, of a close resemblance to his Jurassic 

 species, T. superba, Sap. 1 



FIG. 14 (V. 2729rt). Fragment of a frond of Taniopteris Beyrichii (Schenk), 



var. superba. 



V. 2729^. Pig. 14. 



Thirty-four cm. long ; apparently half of the lamina of a large 

 simple frond. On one side of the half lamina there is the 

 remains of a midrib, from which the closely set lateral veins are 

 given off horizontally. Where small patches of a carbonaceous 

 film occur on the surface of the specimen one can detect very 

 fine lines running between, and parallel to, the lateral veins. 

 Breadth 2' 7 cm. at the broadest part. Ecclesbourne. 



Rufford Coll. 



V. 711. The prominent midrib represented by a deep groove, 

 lateral veins closely arranged. Length of specimen 7 '5 cm., 

 1'2 cm. broad, about the same width as the figured specimen of 

 T. Beyrichii, PI. IX. Fig. 3, but the veins are much closer and 

 more numerous. Ecclesbourne. Rufford Coll. 



V. 2380. Portion of a large frond. Venation well marked. 

 Cf. V. 2729 (Fig. 14). Ecclesbourne. Rufford Coll. 



1 Pal. Fran<j. vol. i. pi. Ixii. fig. 1. 



