216 



DE. AGNES AEBER ON THE 



It further differs botli from L. oldhamius and JO. Bertrandi in its extremely small pitli, 

 and in the fact that the sporangium is attached to the upper surface of the pedicel hy 

 a well-marked longitudinal ridge, which may possibly represent a sterilised region of the 

 sporangial tissue {st.r., PL 22. fig. 7, PL 25. figs. 26, 26 a, & 27). In this feature, as well 

 as in the occurrence of sclerised lateral pads {sec.) on the upper surface of the pedicel, 

 it approaches L.foliaeeus, Maslen *, from which, however, it differs in various important 

 points. The cone is larger than that of L. foliacetiSy and the laminas of the sporophylls 

 are not constricted at the base, and do not consist of the large-celled parenchyma with 

 secretory cells which is so characteristic of L.foUaceus. 



The small, fragile cone of Ij. Binneyamis belongs, obviously, to an entirely different 

 type from the massive fructification of the Lower Carboniferous Jj. Brownii, with its 

 cushion-like sporophyll lobes. It resembles it, however, in one feature, namely that the 

 sporophyll trace is accompanied, apparently throughout the entire length of the pedicel, 



■ 



by transfusion tracheides f , which are especially abundant on the ventral side (PL 22. 

 fig. 8, PL 24. fig. 20, PL 25. fig. 28). 



In addition to the characters, to which we have just referred, in which L. Binneyanus 

 resembles one or • other of the known species of Lepidostrohus^ this cone also shows 

 certain features which cannot be paralleled in any member of the genus hitherto 

 described. The sporophyll pedicel is more broadly winged than that of any other 

 Zepidosfrobus known to us in the petrified state (PL 25. fig. 26), though these wings sink 

 into insignificance when they are compared with those of various so-called " bracts " of 

 LepidostrobuSy which occur as impressions %. As regards internal structure, a highly 

 characteristic feature is the histology of the keel of the pedicel, which is notable for the 

 large-celled hypoderma which is situated beneath the small-celled epidermis (PL 22. 

 figs. 7 & 8). The occurrence of abundant transfusion elements in the ridge of sterile 

 tissue which forms the floor of the sporangium (PL 25. fig. 27), is also a character which 



> 



has not been recorded for any other Upper Carboniferous species. 



Another point, in which Z. Binneyanus appears to be unique, is the course of the 

 sporophyll traces, which pursue an obliquely downward path in the oater part for their 

 journey from vascular cylinder to pedicel (PL 24. fig. 21). While this arrangement 

 differs from that which prevails in the other species of Lepidostrobus, in which, as is 

 well known, the traces pass obliquely upwards from stele to sporophyll §, it recalls 

 the anatomy of Mesostrobus \ . 



(10) Diagnosis. 



Lepidostrobtjs Binneyanus, sp. nov. 



HoHzon. Lower Coal Measures. 



Cotie slender, about 1-5 cms. in diameter, with axis 3 mm. in diameter 



* Maslen, A. J. ('99), p. 373 & pi. 38. figs. 36-39. 

 t Zeiller, K. (11), p. 32. 



L. fimbriatas. See Kidston, E. ('83), pi. 31. figs. 2, 3, 4. 

 § Williamson, W. C. ('94), pi. 6. fig. 62 ; Zaleasky, M. ('08] 

 Ij Watson, D. M. S. ('09), text- fig. 1, p. 381. 



