350 LYCOPODIACE^* 



In strata of the Secondary Series, the absolute and rela- 

 tive numbers of species of Ferns considerably diminishes^ 

 forming scarcely one third of the known Flora of these 

 midway periods of geological history. (See PI. 1. Figs. 37. 

 38. 39.) 



In the Tertiary Strata, Ferns appear to bear to other ve- 

 getables nearly the same proportion as in the temperate re- 

 gions of the present Earth. 



Lepidodendron.* 



The genus Lepidodendron comprehends many species of 

 fossil Plants, which are of large size, and of very frequent 

 occurrence in the Coal formation. In some points of their 

 structure they have been compared to Coniferee, but in other 

 respects and in their general appearance, with the exception 

 of their great size, they very much resemble the Lycofo- 

 diacecB, or Cluh Moss Tribe. (See PI. 1. Figs. 9. 10.) This 

 tribe at the present day, contains no species more than three 

 feet high, but the greater part of them are weak, or creep- 



of Anglopteris, the scars are either elliptic or rhomboidal, and have their 

 longer diameter vertical. 



M. Ad. Brong-niart (Hist. des. Veg. Foss. p. 261, Pi. 79. 80.) has de- 

 scribed and figured the leaf and stem of an arborescent fern (Anomopteris, 

 Mougeottii) from the variegated sand-stone of Heilegenberg in the Vosges. 

 Beautiful leaves of this species, with their capsules of fructification some- 

 times adhering to the pinnules, abound in the New red sand-stone formation 

 of this district. 



M. Cotta has published an interesting Work on fossil Remains of arbo- 

 rescent ferns, which occur abundantly in the New red sand-stone of Saxony 

 near Chemnitz. (Dendrolilhen. Dresden and Leipsig, 1832.) These con- 

 sist chiefly of Sections of the Trunks of many extinct species, sufficiently 

 allied in structure to that of existing arborescent Ferns, to leave little doubt 

 that they are the remains of extinct species of arborescent Plants of this fami- 

 ly, that grew in Europe at this period of the Secondary formation. 



* PI. 1. Figs. 11. 12. and PI. 55, Figs. 1. 2. 3. 



