446 BENNETTITALES [CH. 



Williamsonia indica, sp. nov. 



This name is proposed for some imperfect specimens described 

 by Feistmantel from the Godaveri district and named by him 

 Williamsonia sp. cf. Williamsonia gigas 1 . They differ from 

 Williamsonia gigas in the larger size of the bracts which reach 

 a length of 13 cm. and may be compared with those of a large 

 specimen recorded from Mexico as Williamsonia Cuauhtemoc 2 . 



FIG. 558. Williamsonia Blandfordi and Ptilophyllum frond. 

 (Geological Survey of India; nat. size.) 



It is almost certain that some at least of the Indian flowers 

 were borne on stems with the foliage known as Ptilophyllum 

 acutifolium, an inference based not only on the almost constant 

 association of flowers and fronds but also on the juxtaposition of 

 both kinds of organs with stems precisely similar to those described 

 from England and Mexico. Though none of the specimens are 

 sufficiently well preserved to afford much information as to 

 structural features, Miss Bancroft 3 has shown that the bracts of 



1 Feistmantel (77 3 ) p. 181, PL vn. figs. 14; (77 1 ) PL n. figs. 13. 



2 My thanks are due to Mr Wieland for a photograph of this species that is 

 mentioned but not figured in his paper on the Mexican Flora, Wieland (13). 



3 Bancroft (13) p. 76, PL vn. figs. 15. 



