On the Occurrence of Sphenopteris communis in Britain. 89 
The Staffordshire specimens of Sphenopteris communis came 
from the Lower Coal-Measures, and the Yorkshire examples 
belonging to the same species originate from the Middle 
Coal-Measures, and were collected by Mr W. Hemingway. 
SPHENOPTERIS COMMUNIS, Lesqx. 
[Plate I.] 
1884. Sphenopteris communis, Lesqx., Coal Flora, vol. iii., p. 762, pl. civ., 
figs. 1, la. 
Description.—Frond tripinnate or decompound ; primary (?) 
pinne oblong lanceolate, close together; secondary pinne 
linear, lanceolate, touching or slightly overlapping, and con- 
taining 9 to 12 tertiary pinne. Tertiary pinne oblong, with 
rounded apices, and bearing oblong or rounded convex 
pinnules more or less united to each other, or separated 
almost to the rachis on which they are decurrent. Veins 
distinct, bifurcating, somewhat distant, and running to the 
margin of the pinnule, which is slightly crenulate. Pinnules 
with roughened surface, probably caused by the presence of 
short, rigid, adpressed hairs. Rachis broad. Fructification 
indistinctly preserved on the Staffordshire specimens. 
Remarks.—The upper surface of the pinnules have a dull 
appearance, which, when examined under the lens, seems as 
if caused by the presence of numerous close, rigid, short, 
adpressed hairs. The pinnules have very much the villose 
appearance which is seen on many species of Pecopteris 
belonging to the Cyatheites group (Fig. 5). 
This character is not mentioned in the description given by 
Lesquereux, but is clearly seen on the specimens of Sphenop- 
teris communis received from Mr Lacoe. The nervation is 
slightly flexuous and indented, and it is this character which 
produces the crenulate margins of the pinnules. The pinnules 
- form a decurrent margin on the rachis, but the rachis of the 
primary pinne on all my specimens is embedded in the 
matrix, so I am unable to ascertain whether it was winged 
or naked, though I am inclined to think it was not winged, 
as I cannot discover this character on the corresponding 
