XXXI] EREMOPTERIS AKTEMISAEFOLIA 169 



Eremopteris artemisaefolia Stern berg with Samaropsisacuta 

 Lindley and Hutton. 



The generic name Eremopteris was instituted by Schimper for 

 a type of frond from the Coal Measures of Newcastle described 

 by Sternberg as Sphenopteris artemisaefolia. He included also 

 a second species, E. Neesii, from the Permian of Bohemia: this 

 was removed by Zeiller to Cattipteris. The type-species of 

 Eremopteris is included in this chapter on the ground that the 

 almost constant association with the fronds of seeds comparable 

 with those described by White as Aneimites (Wardia) fertilis 

 affords a strong argument in favour of assigning Eremopteris 

 artemisaefolia to the Pteridosperms. 



1826. Sphenopteris artemisaefolia Sternberg, Flor. Vorwelt, Fasc iv. p. 15, 



PI. LVI. fig. 1. 

 1833. Sphenopteris crithmifolia Lindley and Hutton, Foss. Flor. Vol. I. 



PI. XLVI. 



1833. Cardiocarpon acutum, Ibid. PI. LXXVI. 



1869. Eremopteris artemisaefolia Schimper, Trait. Pal. Veg. Vol. I. p. 416. 

 1914. Samaropsis acuta Kidston. Trans. R. Soc. Edinb. Vol. L. Pt I. p. 156. 



The large compound fronds of this species 1 are characterised 

 by the regular dichotomy of the main branches, a feature frequently 

 met with in Palaeozoic fern-like leaves: the cuneate or oval- 

 cuneiform pinnules (fig. 443, A, C) vary considerably in breadth 

 from the typical cuneate type of segment as figured by Brongniart 2 

 to narrow, almost linear, leaflets like those of Sphenopteris crithmi- 

 folia. Several spreading veins traverse the lamina. Lindley 

 and Hutton, while admitting a very close resemblance between 

 their species and S. artemisaefolia, adopted a distinctive name. 

 The only evidence so far obtained as to the stem of the plant is 

 furnished by some specimens in the Hutton collection (Newcastle- 

 upon-Tyne) one of which shows a piece of rhizome bearing several 

 petioles (fig. 443, B) : there are no pinnules attached to the 

 rachises but some occur in close association. Brongniart noticed 

 the frequent association of Eremopteris fronds with small seeds, 

 but he regarded it as accidental. Dr Kidston 3 has recently 



1 For a more complete synonymy, see Kidston (03) B. p. 770. 



2 Brongniart (28 2 ) A. Pis. XLVI., XLVII. ; Lebour (77) Pis. xxxm. iv. 



3 Kidston (14) p. 156; Duns (72). 



