10 On Eusphenopteris tenella and Sphenopteris microcarpa. 
or two of the veinlets, small round elevated dots, which, when 
seen with a glass, appear like sori. I consider them as fruc- 
tifications, comparable, by their position at least, to the 
fruit-dots of some Duvallie of our time—Leucostegia for 
example ’’*, 
In the present specimen the fruit is exceptionally well 
preserved, showing the outline of the cells which form the 
walls of the sporangia (figs. 12, 13, and 14). 
The sporangia appear to be usually developed in groups of 
three, situated at the upper extremity of the veins, so that 
they become marginal in position (fig. 10). Sometimes, 
however, they are produced singly, as in fig. 11; but such 
cases are rare. I have not observed any sporangia situated 
in the sinuses; they are placed in the little lobes or teeth of 
the pinnules. The imperfect manner in which Lesquereux’s 
specimen appears to be preserved may have led to this slight 
mistake in his description. The sporangia are oval in outline, 
and about = of an inch wide in their greatest diameter. 
Most of them show a marginal border; and in one individual 
(fig. 14) the cells composing it appear to lie at an oblique 
angle to those forming the large central part ; but whether 
this border is a true annulus or only a mechanically-produced 
simulation of that structure I am unable to decide. 
Grand’Eury + describes the fruit of Sphenopteris chero- 
phylloides, the sporangia of which appear to be very similar 
to those under consideration. In reference to his specimen, 
however, he states that the sporangia were not provided 
with an annulus. He seems inclined to regard Sph. 
cherophylloides as a transitional form between Schizea and 
Marattia. 
As regards Sphenopteris microcarpa, I think the character 
of the fruit points to affinities with the Osmundacez, and it is 
probably most closely related to the genus Todea. This species 
is widely distributed in the Coal-measures of Scotland. 
I am indebted to Mr. James Bennie for the pleasure of 
examining the fruited specimen, which was collected by him 
near Dysart, Fife. Mr. Thomas Naismith has also kindly 
shown me the same plant from Mount Vernon, Lanarkshire ; 
and I have met with it at Sauchie, near Alloa, Clackmannan- 
shire, and near Dollar, on the borders of Perthshire. 
None of the Carboniferous ferns which from time to time 
have been obtained in fruit appear to be referable to existing 
genera. ‘Though in many cases they approach very closely, 
* Loe. cit. p. 280. 
+ ‘Flore Carbonifére du Département de la Loire :’ Paris, 1877. 
