146 FOSSIL PLANTS. 



Siqillaria macrodiscus. 



Brongniart, Hist. d. Vege"t. Foss. p. 418, pi. cxxxix. 

 Geinitz, Gaea v. Sachsen, p. 86. 



Caulopteris Giffordi. 

 Lesquereux, Coal. Flora of Pennsyl. p. 343, pi. Ix. figs. 1, 2. 



? Lepidodendron radicans. 



Lesquereux, Report, Geol. Survey of Illinois, vol. ii. p. 454, pL xlvi. tig. 1. 

 Coal Flora of Pennsyl. p. 397. 



Remarks. Zeiller has given a figure of Caulopteris peltigera* showing 

 the two genera Ptychopteris (Stemmatopteris} and Caulopteris united on one 

 specimen. This example raised the question with him whether Caulopteris 

 peltigera and Caulopteris macrodiscus should not be united, but he decided to 

 keep them distinct and await further evidence. 



Although it was eventually discovered that the example with which he 

 was dealing did not belong to Caulopteris peltigera, still it proved the identity 

 of those stems comprised in the genus Ptychopteris (Stemmatopteris) with 

 Caulopteris as restricted by some authors. Or in other words, the Caulopteris 

 of the Caulopteris macrodiscus type are merely the inner surface of the stem 

 of the Caulopteris of the Caulopteris peltigera type. This view is now adopted 

 by Zeiller,f and judging from his figure of Caulopteris patria, it appears to 

 be the only one that can be accepted. 



I have united with Caulopteris peltigera, Brongt., sp., Caulopteris macrodiscus, 

 Brongt., sp., as a specimen of the former from Radstock in the Collection 

 of Mr. J. McMurtrie, F.G.S., shows, where part of the outer surface has been 

 removed, that the inner layer forms the Caulopteris macrodiscus, Brougniart. 



Caulopteris Phillipsii, L. and H., does not in any way differ from Caulopteris 

 macrodiscus, Brongniart, sp. I have seen many specimens of this last- 

 mentioned species from the Radstock Coal Field, the same district as that 

 from which Caulopteris Phillipsii was collected, and have entirely failed to 

 discover a character by which any of the specimens usually referred to 

 Caulopteris Phillipsii, L. and H., can be distinguished from Brongniart's 

 plant. From this circumstance, and the fact that Lindley and Button's 

 figure does not in itself show any character by which it is distinguishable 

 from Caulopteris macrodiscus, Caulopteris Phillipsii is also included here as 

 a synonym for Caulopteris peltigera. The plate of Caulopteris Phillipsii, 

 L. and H., in the Fossil Flora was taken from a plaster cast, the original of 

 which seems to have been indifferently preserved. 



Feistmantel is of opinion that Caulopteris Phillipsii is related to Caulop- 

 teris macrodiscus. He says : " It appears to me that this species (Caulop- 

 teris Phillipsii) is pretty closely related to. Caulopteris macrodiscus" $ and 

 again : " According to my view this species is probably related to Caulop- 

 teris macrodiscus."^ 



Roehl's figure of Caulopteris macrodiscus shows towards the upper portion 

 of the leaf-scar four longitudinal tracts arranged in a transverse row. I have 

 not observed a similar structure, nor is it shown on any of the other figures 

 of the species with which I am acquainted. 



Otherwise than being slightly larger than most of the specimens of 

 Caulopteris macrodiscus, Brongt., sp., a character which only appears to 

 represent an older stem, I do not see how Caulopteris Giffordi, Lesquereux, 



* Bull. Soc. Geol. France, 3 e ser. vol. iii. p. 576, pi. XTU. fig. 4. This is named 

 on the plate Caulopteris peltigera, Brong., ? but has since been described as a new- 

 species by Grand 'Eury under the name ot Caulopteris patria. [See Zeiller, Veget. 

 Foss. du Terr. Houil. p. 100 ; also Grand 'Eury, Flore Carbon, du Dep. de la Loire 

 p. 87.] 



t Bull. Soc. Geol. France, 3 C ser. vol. lii. p. 203. 



J Baumfarrenreste. p. 13. 



Vere. d. Bohm. Kohlenab. p. 147. 



