150 FLORA OF LOWER COAL MEASURES OF MISSOURI. 



The characters of this species, incKiding- the very thin vascular zones, 

 the rarity of rameal cicatrices, the long- internodes, the low, narrow, 

 obtusely keeled ribs bearing- elongated scars at the upper ends and obsciire 

 or punctiform cicatrices at the lower extremities, and the shallow furrows, 

 cleai'ly striate, are so clear and diagnostic in the material at hand as to 

 leave no doubt as to its identity with the species described by Brongniart 

 from the Northern Anthracite field in Pennsylvania. The vascular arrange- 

 ment at the nodes is remarkably clear, considering- that the stems are 

 compressed somewhat in a shale matrix. 



In this country Calamites Cistii seems to have been slightly confused 

 with several forms possibly referable to C. nodosus Schloth. or C. varians. 

 The species probably appeared in the upper beds of the Pottsville, and 

 was perhaps in its typical phase during- the Lower Coal Measures, or Alle- 

 ghany series. Although it has been published by several authors from the 

 Permian, an inspection of the figures gives the idea that the younger forms 

 depart considerably from the normal type. Possibly it would be proper 

 to place these Permian specimens, with much gi-eater proportionate breadth 

 of rib, and with varying nodal diameter and lax aspect of the stem, under a 

 separate varietal or specific name, which might at least be of some strati- 

 graphic value. Illustrations of this phase are given by Raciborski,^ Sterzel,^ 

 and Gutbier. The Calamites infradus, and leioderma of Grutbier appear to 

 be closely related to these, although they are frequently inscribed as syno- 

 nyms of Calamites Cistii. 



Locality. —Pitcher's coal bank, U. S. Nat. Mus., 5424. 



ASTEROPHYLLITES Bronguiart, 1822. 



1822. AsUrophyUites Brongniart, Mein. mus. hist, uat., vol. viii, ]i. 210 (pars). 

 1828. Asterophyllites Brongniart, Prodrome, p. 159. 



1820. Casuarinites Schlotlieim, Petrefacteukunde, p. 397 (pars). 



1823. Schlotheimia Sternberg, Versuch, vol. i, fasc. 2, p. 32. 



1823. 3IyriophylUtes Sternberg, Versuch, vol. i, fasc. 3, p. 39 (pars). 

 1826. Bornia Sternberg, Versuch, vol. i, fasc. 4, tent., p. xxviii (pars). 

 1826. Brulcmaimia Sternberg, Versuch, vol. i, fasc. 4, tent., p. xxix (pars). 

 1826. Bechera Sternberg, Versuch, vol. i, fasc. 4, tent., p. xxx (pars). 

 1836. JIi2}])tirites Lindley and Hutton, Foss. Fl., vol. iii, p. 105 (pars). 

 1869. Galamocladxis Schimper, Traite, vol. i, p. 323. 

 1880. Asterophylhcm Schimper, in Zittel: Hand. Pal., vol. ii, p. 175. 



I Permokarb. Fl., 1891, p. 13 (365), pi. v, hgs. 1, 2. 



'Foss. Fl. Rothl. n.-w. Saelisens, 1886, p. 12, pi. i, fig. 8; pi. ii; pi. iii; pi. vii. 



