M. Grand'Eiiiy on Calamites and Aster ophyllhes. 1 27 



of Saint-Etienne, in the casts of which we find the same traces 

 of structure, they are straight, possess a few rootlets at the 

 base, and appear to have an individual existence. But this 

 individuality is perhaps more apparent than real ; for their 

 distribution in the fossil forests, and the agglomeration of the 

 same stems in certain places, are favom'able to the supposition 

 that they sprang from slender indefinite rhizomes, of which 

 nothing has remained for our investigation. 



Lastly, there is nothing, even to the approximation of the 

 articulations at the origin of the stems and rhizomes, that is 

 not imitated by the living Equiseta. 



Calamophyllites and AsterophyUites. — Nothing is at present 

 settled as to the nature of the stems of which the arborescent 

 Asterophyllites are the caducous branches, although a certain 

 number of stems bearing branches of Asterophyllites have 

 already been found. The uncertainty in which we are upon 

 this subject is such that these branches have been ascribed 

 both to the Calamites belonging to the group of vascular 

 Cryptogamia and to the Calamodendra belonging to the 

 Gymnosperms, their inflorescence, described as Volkniannia^ 

 being still incapable of solving the question, because the 

 organized dust discovered in the sacs borne by some of them 

 in the axils of their bracteal leaves might equally well consist 

 of spores or of pollen. However, it is most desirable now to 

 ascertain the real connexion of organs which are invariably 

 dissociated, mutilated, and so profomidly altered. 



I believe I have sufficient data to prove that the greater part 

 of the Asterophyllites are not branches of Calamites, but of 

 other stems, which even depart widely from them in their 

 characters, and to which I give the name of Galamopliyllites. 



It would appear that the Asterophyllites cannot be the 

 branches of the true Calamites, not only because these branches 

 would be furnished with leaves whilst the stems are destitute 

 of them, which has nothing absolutely impossible in it, but 

 because, besides not being so well grooved and articulated, 

 they have their leaves attached above the lines of articulation, 

 and, what is far more significant, their secondaiy branches 

 inserted in the axil of the leafy whorls, and not below them, 

 as would be the case if they had the organization of the true 

 Calamites. 



]\Ioreover all the branches which I have seen issuing from 

 true Calamites have exactly all the essential characters of the 

 latter, and have neither leaves nor any indications of having 

 possessed them. I have frequently found, mixed together, 

 considerable quantities of branches of various sizes, constructed 



lU* 



