BOTANICAL AND GEOLOGICAL. 717 



Cycadites. — M. Ad. Brongniart has referred these two 

 fossil species to a new genus, by the name of Mantellia nidi- 

 formis and Mantellia cylindrica. In my paper just quoted, 

 I applied to them the provisional name of Cycadoidea megalo- 

 phylla and Cycadoidea microvhylla ; but Mr. Brown is of 

 opinion that until sufficient reasons are assigned for sepa- 

 rating them from the genus Cycas or Zamia, the provisional 

 name of Cycadites is more appropriate, as expressing the 

 present state of our knowledge upon this subject. Buck- 

 land's Bridgewater Treatise, vol. i, p. 496, note (1836). 



In the vascular bundles within the fossil petioles, Mr. 

 Brown has recognised the presence of spiral, or scalariform 

 vessels (Vasa scalar if or mia), such as are found in the 

 petioles of recent Cycadece ; he has also detected similar 

 vessels in the laminated circle within the trunk of the 

 fossil buds next to be described. The existence of vessels 

 with discs peculiar to recent Cycadece and Conferee, such 

 as have been described in speaking of fossil Conferee, has 

 not yet been ascertained. Ibid., p. 499, note. 



Podocarya. 



This fossil was found by the late Mr. Page, of Bishport, 

 near Bristol, in the lower regions of the Inferior Oolite 

 formation on the east of Charmouth, Dorset, and is now 

 in the Oxford Museum. The size of this fruit is that of a 

 large orange ; its surface is occupied by a stellated cover- 

 ing or Epicarpium composed of hexagonal tubercles, 

 forming the summit of cells, which occupy the entire 

 circumference of the fruit. 



Within each cell is contained a single seed, resembling 

 a small grain of rice, more or less compressed, and usually 

 hexagonal. Where the Epicarpium is removed, the points 

 of the seeds are seen, thickly studded over the surface of 

 the fruit. The bases of the cells are separated from the 

 receptacle, by a congeries of footstalks formed of a dense 

 mass of fibres, resembling the fibres beneath the base of 



