116 Geological Society. 
PROCEEDINGS OF LEARNED SOCIETIES. 
GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 
March 24, 1897.—Dr. Henry Hicks, F.R.S., 
President, in the Chair. 
The following communications were read :— 
1. ‘On the Association of Sigillaria and Glossopteris in South 
Africa.’ By A. C. Seward, Esq., M.A., F.G.S., University Lecturer 
in Botany, Cambridge. 
In this paper the Author describes in detail several specimens of 
fossil plants submitted to him by Mr. David Draper of Johannesburg. 
His conclusions as to the geological age of the plant-bearing beds 
differ from those arrived at by Mr. Draper from stratigraphical 
evidence ; the plants point to an horizon whieh may be referred to 
what is now termed the Permo-Carboniferous age. The difficulty 
of distinguishing between various forms of Glossopteris-leaves is 
discussed at some length; and the opinion expressed that it is 
practically impossible to separate the Indian, Australian, and 
African forms of G. Browniana, G. indica, and others. The chief 
interest as regards the plants centres round the specimens of 
Sigillaria; these are fairly well preserved impressions, and are 
referred to the well-known species, S. Brardi. In addition to 
various forms of the genus Gilossopteris and the specimens of 
Sigillaria, the following plants are recorded :—Noeygerathiopsis 
Hislopi, Gangamopteris cyclopterowdes, Phyllotheca, Conites sp., 
Cardiocarpus sp., and Sphenopteris sp. 
The paper concludes with some general remarks on botanical 
provinces in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, and the 
relation of the Glossopteris-flora to the Coal-Measure vegetation 
of Europe. 
2. ‘Notes on the Occurrence of Sigillaria, Glossopteris, and 
other Plant-remains in the Triassic Rocks of South Africa.’ By 
David Draper, Esq., F.G.S. 
The Author gives a brief description of the geology of four | 
localities, within a comparatively short distance from Johannesburg, 
from which several fossil plants have recently been obtained. He 
considers the plant-bearing beds to belong to the Lower Stormberg 
Series of Dunn, and to the horizon known as the Molteno Beds. 
The most important locality described in these notes is that of 
Vereeniging, 30 miles south of Johannesburg, where the Author 
found several specimens of Sigillaria associated with Glossopteris 
and other plants in iron-stained sandstones. The significance of 
this discovery of Sigillaria is briefly discussed. The several species 
of plants have been described by Mr. A. C. Seward in a paper 
recently sent to the Society. 
