CARBONIFEROUS. 99 



Heer, Flora Foss. Helv. lief. i. p. 37 (? pi. vii. fig. 9). 

 Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 23, pi. xxviii. fig. 6. 

 Grand 'Eury, Flore Carbon, du Dep. de la Loire, p. 120. 

 Roehl, Foss. Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph. p. 49, pi. xiv. fig. 6. 

 Schimper, Traite" d. Paleont. Veget. vol. i. p. 618. 



Weiss, Verhandl. d. Natur. Vereines d. Preuss. Eheinl. u. Westpli. 1868 

 p. 83. 



Dictyopteris cordata. 



Eoehl, Foss. Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph. p. 50. pi. xv. fig. 6 ; pi. xxi. 



fig. 76. 



Romer, Palaeontographica, vol. ix. p. 30, pi. vi. fig. 4, 1862. 

 Schimper, Traite d. Paleont. Veget. vol. i. p. 619 ; vol. iii. p. 515. 

 Dictyopteris Scheuchzeri. 



Romer, Palaeontographica, vol. ix. p. 30, pi. ix. fig. 1, 1862. 

 Schimper, Trait6 d. Paleout. Veg6t. vol. i. p. 619 ; vol. iii. p. 515. 

 Neuropteris angustifolia. 



Lesquereux (? in part\ Coal Flora of Pennsyl. pi. viii. fig. 2. 

 Remarks. The surface of the pinnules in Neuropteris cordata often bears 

 very many short stiff hairs, though in some cases only a few are present. 

 When these hairs are numerous and pressed down on the surface of the 

 pinnule obliquely to the nerves, they give the fern a dictyopteroid appearance, 

 which has caused this species to be described as a Dictyopteris by several 

 authors. In well preserved examples, these little bristles can easily be 

 distinguished from the veins. Neuropteris cordata is not uncommon at 

 Radstock, Rhymney, and Leebotwood. The specimens from which Lindley 

 and Hutton's figures of Neuropteris cordata were taken seem to be lost, but 

 in the Museum of the Geological Society of London are examples from the 

 same locality (Leebotwood) as that from which Lindley and Huttou's plants 

 were collected. These agree with the plate in the Fossil Flora with this 

 addition, that they clearly show the hirsute character of the species, which 

 seemingly has escaped the notice of the writers of the Fossil Flora. That 

 Neuropteris hirsuta, Lesquereux, is the same plant as Neuropteris cordata, L. 

 and H. (? Brongt.), is an irresistible conclusion. 



Bunbury in 1847 pointed out the hirsute nature of Neuropteris cordata* 



figure as a reference to Neuropteris angustifolia, which he treats as specifically 

 distinct from his Neuropteris hirsuta. 



Although I have placed Neuropteris angustifolia and Neuropteris acutifolia 

 under Neuropteris Scheuchzeri, I do so with considerable hesitation, as it is 

 possible that these two species may eventually require to be placed here ; for 

 Zeiller, who has examined Brongniart's types of these two ferns, states that 

 they show clearly small hairs on their surface. This being so, possibly Neu- 

 ropteris angustifolia and Neuroptens acutifolia may belong to Neuropteris 

 cordata, but the last-named species cannot be united with Neuropteris 

 Scheuchzeri, Hoffra., as has been done by Zeiller. 



Neuropteris decipiens, Lesquereux (Coal Flora of Pennsyl. p. 93), is very 

 doubtfully distinct from Neuropteris cordata. 



Of the figures of Neuropteris angustifolia given by Lesquereux, that in the 

 Coal Flora (pi. viii. fig. 2) is evidently referable to Neuropteris cordata, 

 Probably his other figures of Neuropteris angustifolia may also belong to the 

 same species. Further notes regarding Neuropteris cordata will be found in 

 the remarks appended to Neuropteris Scheuchzeri. 



Horizon. Coal Measures. 



* Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. vol. iii. p. 4f 3 



