496 CYCADOPHYTA [CH. 



that they are leaf-bases very similar to those on such fossil stems 

 as Bucklandia(Fittonia)Rigauxi($a,p.) 1 and B. (Fittonia) squamata, 

 (Carr.) 2 . One partially carbonised scale yielded pieces of cuticle 

 showing numerous stomata similar to those of recent Cycads and 

 the outlines of very thick-walled epidermal cells 3 . 



E ary-Cycadolepis Jenkinsiana (Tate). 



The large and approximately orbicular or broadly ovate scales 

 so named are believed to be identical with Tate's Cyclopteris 

 Jenkinsiana* from the Uitenhage series of Cape Colony (Weald en). 

 The scales reach a length of 12 cm. and were attached by a broad 

 base; the lamina, which may be strongly bent as though folded 

 over some immature organ as a protective bract, shows numerous 

 repeatedly forked veins of the Cyclopteris type and several anasto- 

 mosing and irregular lines between the veins suggesting that the 

 scales were tomentose. 



II. REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF CYCADEAN PLANTS OTHER 



THAN THOSE OF THE BENNETTITALES. 



The fact that practically all known Cycadean stems bore 

 flowers either of the Bennettites or Williamsonia type prepares 

 us for the scarcity of reproductive organs like those of recent 

 Cycads. No specimens have been discovered in a petrified state 

 affording any evidence of their close affinity to the cones, sporo- 

 phylls, or seeds of the Cycadales. Such genera as Cycadospadix, 

 Androstrobus, and Zamiostrobus, as the following descriptions 

 show, are founded on material that is too imperfect to throw much 

 light on their true morphological nature. The probability is 

 that some at least of the specimens included in these genera 

 are the reproductive organs of Cycadean plants more closely allied 

 to the existing Cycads than to the Bennettitales. Among the 

 numerous fossil seeds referred to such genera as Cycadeospervno 

 and Cycadinocarpus there are but few that can confidently be 

 assigned to the Cycadales rather than to the Ginkgoales or Coni- 



1 Saporta (75) A. PI. 127. 2 Carruthers (70) PI. LVI. 



3 I am indebted to Mr Edwards of the Geological Department of the British 

 Museum for making a preparation of the cuticle. 



4 Tate (67) PI. vi. fig. 4; Seward (03) B. p. 29, PI. iv. figs. 36. 



