116 Geological Society. 



PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 



GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



March 24, ] 897.— Dr. Henry Hicks, F.R.S., 

 President, in the Chair. 



The following communications were read : — 



1. ' On the Association of Sigillaria and Glossopteris in South 

 Africa.' By A. C. Seward, Esq., M.A., E.G.S., University Lecturer 

 in Botany, Cambridge. 



In this paper the Aiithor describes in detail several specimens of 

 fossil plants submitted to him by Mr. David Draper of Johannesburg. 

 His conclusions as to the geological age of the plant-bearing beds 

 differ from those arrived at by Mr. Draper from stratigraphical 

 evidence ; the plants point to an horizon which may be referred to 

 what is now termed the Permo-Carbouiferous age. The difficulty 

 of distinguishing between various forms of Glossopteris-\es,Yes is 

 discussed at some length : and the opinion expressed that it is 

 practically impossible to separate the Indian, Australian, and 

 African forms of G. Broivniana, G. indica, and others. The chief 

 interest as regards the plants centres round the specimens of 

 Sigillaria ; these are fairly well preserved impressions, and are 

 referred to the well-known species, S. Brardi. In addition to 

 various forms of the genus Glossopteris and the specimens of 

 Sigillaria, the following plants are recorded : — NoeggeratJiiopsis 

 Hislopi, Gangamopteris cyclopteroides, Phylloiheca^ Conites sp., 

 Cardiocarpus sp., and Sphenopteris sp. 



The paper concludes with some general remarks on botanical 

 provinces in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the 

 relation of the Glossopteris-&oTa, to the Coal-Measure vegetation 

 of Europe. 



2. ' Notes on the Occurrence of Sigillaria, Glossopteris, and 

 other Plant-remains in the Triassic Eocks of South Africa.' By 

 David Draper, Esq., F.G.S. 



The Author gives a brief description of the geology of four 

 localities, within a comparatively short distance from Johannesburg, 

 from which several fossil plants have recently been obtained. He 

 considers the plant-bearing beds to belong to the Lower Stormberg 

 Series of Dunn, and to the horizon known as the Molteno Beds. 

 The most important locality described in these notes is that of 

 Vereeniging, 30 miles south of Johannesburg, where the Author 

 found several specimens of Sigillaria associated with Glossopteris 

 and other plants in iron-stained sandstones. The significance of 

 this discovery of Sigillaria is briefly discussed. The several species 

 of plants have been described by Mr. A. C. Seward in a paper 

 recently sent to the Society. 



