DESCIUPTIUN OF THE iSrEClES. 149 



Sagenoptekis elliptica, sp. nov. 



Plat(> XXVII, Fi^s. n, 11-17. 



Frond witli live pinnules at the summit of a strong stipe, tlie riglit and 

 left outermost pinnules smaller than the inner ones; pinnules narrowed 

 gradually to a slender wedge-shaped base, and attached by a short petiole, 

 elongate-elliptical in outline and acute to acuminate at the tips, rarely sub- 

 ([uadrate in outline ; midnerve strong at base, dissolving towards the 

 summit into branches; lateral nerves leaving at an acute angle, curving 

 out to meet the margin, repeatedly branching and anastomosing, so as to 

 iVinu nu;shes, which are (piite irregular in size and shape; meshes elongate- 

 o])long or irregular subrhombic, some much larger than the others ; between 

 the nerves on the lower side of most of the pinnules numerous rounded 

 or ol)I()ng minute elevations or dots occur, which can be seen distinctly 

 only with the help of a lens; these appear to be the fructification. 



Localities: Road-side near Potomac Run; Kankey's; Covington 

 street, lialtimore. 



At each of the two last-named localities a small fragment only was 

 found. It is most abundant at the Potomac Run locality, from which all the 

 specimens figured come, but it is not very common even here. No speci- 

 men was found at the other or hill-side locality, only a few hundred feet 

 away. The dots look much like fructification, and I have no doubt that 

 this is their character. This would place the jjlant in the Dictijopkris 

 group of riili/podinm. It would seem from this that Sagenoptcris is a fern 

 and not a rhizocarp, as Schimper finally held it to be. Although this 

 species has five pinnules at the summit of the stipe, it seems to be clearly 

 a Scif/ci/ojifcris. 



This plant, in the general shape of the pinnules and the character of the 

 midnerve, reminds one strongly of the Neuropterids of the Coal Measures. 

 The shape of some of the pinnules, as in Fig. IG, is strikingly like that 

 given by Brongniart in his Ilistoire for Glossoptcrifi Phillipsii (PI. LXI bis, 

 Fig. 5), which he makes a Sagenopteris. Tlu; pinnules in some specimens 

 are much like those of Sagenopteris rlioifoUa} The plant is decidedly 



'C'i>mi>are Scliouk: Foss. Flor. <ler Greu/.scUichtoii, PI. XII, Fig. 4. 



