1908] CURRENT LITERATURE 311 
The discovery of the duplicate character of the midrib is due to the microscopic 
examination of leaf pinnules. Four species are described under the new genus. 
The second memoir is on the cuticle of Dictyozamites Johnstrupi Nath. By 
the microscopic study of the cuticle of this species, bleached with eau de Javelle 
and mounted in glycerin jelly, the author shows its close affinity with Otozamites 
as described by SCHENK. 
The third memoir is devoted to the study of a lycopodineous cone from the 
Rhaetic of Schonen, which the author earlier described, with some reserve, as 
being of cycadaceous affinities, under the name Androstrobus Scotti. A micro- 
scopic examination of the cone in question, with the aid of eau de Javelle and 
other bleaching reagents, revealed the fact that it was of lycopodineous afiinities, 
and the name is accordingly changed to Lycostrobus Scotti. The cone is attached 
to an apparently herbaceous peduncle about 2°™ in diameter and is about 12° 
in length. The minute structure of megasporangia and megasporophylls could 
not be made out. The megaspores were over 0.5™™ in diameter and were 
characterized by appendages along the triradiate ridges. The rest of the surface 
was covered with minute spines. The microspores, occurring in distinct. clus- 
ters, were found in the upper part of the cone, were bifacial as in Isoetes, 
and were 30 to 50 in diameter. The author comes to the conclusion that 
Lycostrobus is more nearly allied to Isoetes than any living lycopod. This 
cone is of great interest from two standpoints. It illustrates how extremely unsafe 
conclusions as to affinities based on mere superficial characters must be, since 
4s an impression the fossil was considered as belonging to the Cycadophyta. 
Also it goes a long way toward demonstrating that Isoetes is a true lycopod, and 
hot an appendage of the fern series, as has been suggested by VINES, FARMER, 
and Capper, 
The fourth memoir deals with the microscopic investigation of cuticles of 
fossil leaves, sporangia, spores, etc. Perhaps the most interesting result under 
this head is the demonstration that ARBER’s Carpolithus Nathorsti (1908) is in 
reality not a seed of a pteridosperm at all, as is supposed by that author, since 
the supposed seminal organs were shown by maceration to be microsporangi 
Numerous abietineous winged pollen grains were found in material from the _ 
Trias of Hér, T he author comes to the general conclusion: ‘“‘die Gattung Pinus 
Schon gegen das Ende der Triasperiode, in den nérdlicheren Teilen der Erde 
ausgebildet war.” This result appears not to be without significance in con- 
nection with present discussions in regard to the antiquity of Pinus. Smaller 
winged microspores were also found, which the author does not attempt to refer 
» me existing coniferous genus. It appears not improbable that they represent 
the microspores of certain of the Brachyphylloideae, a new subtribe of araucarian 
Conifers described by Dr. Hotticx and the reviewer. 
Pa the fifth memoir the author throws additional light on Nathorstia Heer, 
of described as Daneites from the older Cretaceous of Greenland. By means 
maceration he has been able to show that the fossil in question is allied to 
