442 CONIFERALES INCERTAE SEDIS [CH. 



doubt to Schizolepis, is characterised by pendulous stalked scales : 

 in neither of these Spitzbergen forms are there any seeds on 

 the strobili. Nathorst quotes a species from Portugal described 

 by Saporta 1 as Palaeolepis bicornuta as being possibly allied to 

 Schizolepis, but there are not sufficient grounds for assuming any 

 close affinity. He also draws attention to the resemblance of the 

 bilobed leaves or scales of Schizolepis (?) retroflexa to the fertile 

 leaves of Tmesipteris\ the relationship of the Spitzbergen fossils 

 must be left uncertain pending more evidence. 



DREPANOLEPIS. Nathorsfc. 



Heer described a specimen of Jurassic age from Spitzbergen 

 as Phyllocladites rotundifolia 2 which he considered to be closely 

 allied to Phyllocladus : an examination of the type-specimen led 

 Nathorst 3 to institute a new generic name Drepanolepis. As 

 Nathorst's revised description and more accurate drawing show, 

 there are no substantial grounds for assuming any relationship 

 between the fossil and Phyllocladus. Drepanolepis rotundifolia 

 consists of a fairly stout axis bearing spirally disposed thick, 

 falcate scales each of which bore a seed, or possibly a sporangium, 

 near the base (fig. 798, C). A similar type is described by Nathorst 

 as Drepanolepis angustior* characterised by the narrower form of 

 the scales and a broader axis. Both species may be described as 

 strobili of open habit with single seeded sporophylls: it is impossible 

 to determine the systematic position of the genus, though as 

 Nathorst says it is probably a type of fertile Gymnospermous 

 shoot. There is no reason for comparing the specimens with 

 Phyllocladus. 



SCHIZOLEPIDELLA. Halle. 



Schizolepidella gracilis Halle. The specimens on which this 

 genus is founded are from the Hope Bay flora in Graham Land 5 , 

 probably of Middle Jurassic age; they consist of slender sterile 

 shoots reaching a maximum length of 12 cm. and 2 mm. broad, 

 rarely branched and bearing small leaves, 2x1-5 mm., apparently 



1 Saporta (94) B. PI. xxxm. fig. 4. 



2 Heer (75) ii. p. 124, PI. xxxv. figs. 17, 18. 



3 Nathorst (97) p. 43, PI. vi. figs. 24, 25. 



4 Ibid. p. 71, PI. m. figs. 3337. 5 Halle (13 2 ) p. 90, PL ix. figs. 1821. 



