1 78 THE PALMS OF THE ANCIENT WORLD. 



in the English coal beds. The leaflets of one 

 (Nceggerathia fiabellaia) arc wedge-shaped, like 

 the leaflets of Caryota* The fruits, Avhich may 

 be referred to the palm tribe, are generally 

 oblong, three or six-sided bodies, not more than 

 an inch long, and, according to Dr. Lindley, 

 possess the true structure of palm fruits, and 

 have undoubtedly belonged to a tree of that 

 tribe. They are known to geologists iinder 

 the name of Trigonocarpiim nceggerathi. They 

 are always seen in clusters, but separate from 

 each other. It would seem as if the bunches 

 of fruit had lain in water till the pulpy parts 

 and stalks rotted away, and the hard kernels 

 settled down into the mud, where they were 

 finally imbedded. They are not uncommon in 

 the coal shales. 



Although the remains of palms thus unques- 

 tionably occur in the coal strata, they are rare, 

 and bear no proportion to the ferns, sigillarias, 

 lepidodendra, and other characteristic plants of 

 this period. It must not be inferred, however, 

 that they were so rare as the paucity of their 

 remains would seem to indicate. It must be 

 remembered that the coal strata appear to have 

 been formed beneath the water. An interest- 

 ing experiment by professor Lindley throws 

 • Seo Lindley and Ilutton's Fossil Flora. 



