128 M. Grand'Eury 07i Galamites and Aster opJiylUtes. 



at tlieir articulations exactly like certain Calamites — so much 

 so that all, even to the slenderest, appear to have emitted 

 whorls of branches, whilst the branches oi Asterophyllites only 

 gave origin to distichous ramifications, and this, moreover, 

 unsymmetrically. I have even seen the apex of a Calamite 

 with its articulated branch-shoots as destitute of leaves as the 

 stem. 



On the other hand, I have ascertained, from several most 

 instructive specimens, that the stems which are surrounded 

 and surmounted by branches of Asterophyllites resemble the 

 latter in all points, have leaves or leaf-scars, and in general 

 only a vague and distant resemblance to the Calamites. 



From this, therefore, we may conclude that the arborescent 

 Asterophyllites sprang, not from Calamites, but from leaf- 

 bearing stems organized like themselves. 



These stems are not rare, and I have already found several 

 of them. HippuTites longifolius^ Lindl., is evidently a fine and 

 complete example, and Calamites Goepperti^ Ettingsh., is an- 

 other, deprived of its leaves. They form a group which may 

 be characterized as follows : — 



Steins articulate, very certainly hollow and septate, of herbaceous 

 nature, not always regularly striate. Leaves caducous, attached to 

 a cincture of articular protuberances situated above the fine of arti- 

 culation, and not in relation to the strise or indistinct ribs situated 

 below, erect or raised, linear, fiat ; they appear smooth or traversed 

 by few and distinct or by numerous, very fine, equal and parallel 

 nervures. Caducous branches of Asterophyllites inserted all round 

 and essentially above the articulations, in the axil of the leafy whorls, 

 leaving by their fall large discoidal scars situated completely above, 

 and not opposite to the articulations. 



I do not wish to assert here that all the arborescent Astero- 

 phyllites originate from similar stems, although their leaves 

 are generally striated by fine, equal and parallel nervures. I 

 have even good reasons for the opposite opinion ; for I know 

 of stems, analogous to Calamites varians^ Sternb., which ap- 

 pear to have had leaves inserted at the end of the ribs ; and I 

 have seen an Asterophyllite which was to be referred to large 

 stems invaginated at their articulations by leaves joined toge- 

 ther at the base, as in the genus Phyllotheca^ and to which, on 

 account of this peculiarity, I give the name of Phyllotheca 

 stephanensis. 



