IX] 



EQUISETITES BEANI. 



271 



on account of the possible confusion between this species 

 and the Palaeozoic species Calamites gigas Brong. The generic 

 name Calamites must be replaced by Equisetites now that we 

 are familiar with more perfect specimens which demonstrate 

 the Equisetean characters of the plant. 



Schimper^ speaks of this species as possibly the pith-cast 

 of Equisetites columnaris, but his opinion cannot be main- 

 tained; the species first described by Bunbury has considerably 

 larger stems than those of E. columnaris. It is not impossible, 

 however, that E. columnaris and E. Beani may be portions 

 of the same species. The chief difference between these forms 

 is that of size ; but we have not sufficient data to justify the 

 inclusion of both forms under one name. Zigno'"^, in his work 

 on the Oolitic Flora, figures an imperfect stem cast of E. Beani 

 under the name of Calamites Beani, but the species has 



Fio. 60. Equisetites Beani (Bunb.). | nat. size. [Aft-.T Starkie Gardner (86) 



PI. IX. fig. 2.] 



Schimper (69) p. 267. 



3 Zigno (56) PI. III. fig. 1, p. 46. 



