180 FLORA OF LOWER COAL MEASURES OF MISSOURI. 



Some of the larger specimens, especially those from the anthracite region, 

 are difficult to distinguish from the form figured by Stur^ as SplienophyUum 

 Crepinl j\Iany of the large dissected leaves have the aspect of those figured 

 by O. Feistmantel." 



The structure of the fertile spike of Sphenophyllum emarginatum has 

 been partly worked out by Zeiller,^ who finds the bracts, united at the base 

 for a short distance, bearing several verticils of sporangia, the latter prob- 

 arbly pedicellate and agreeing in essential details with the better-known 

 species 8. cimeifol'mm (Stb.) Zeill. The cones of S. emarginatum illustrated 

 by Zeiller are somewhat larger than those of the former species, and do not 

 in their superficial aspect appear very unlike the more imperfect specimens 

 figured by PresP in 1838 as Botidaria marsiiecefolia Stb. 



Although it is a species of long duration, SphenoplvyUum emarginatum 

 seems to have been considerably modified in time. And while the earlier 

 forms in America are generally smaller, the species soon becomes of the size 

 and characters of the variety Brongniartianum, the still later forms being 

 much more lax, proportionately less distinct at the base, and more irregular 

 or rounded at the top. A separation of these later forms as varieties, if not 

 as species, would, I believe, serve a useful purpose in correlative work, and 

 therefore be desirable. Many of the forms figured by Sterzel and Eaci- 

 borski^ appear closely related to the 8. Fontaineaniim Mill. (8. latifoHum 

 F. and W., nee Wood, necqne Ren.) 



Localities. — Owen's coal bank, U. S. Nat. Mus., 5457; Pitcher's coal 

 bank, U. S. Nat. Mus., 6137. 



Sphenophyllum ma.tus Bronn. 



PI. L, Figs. .5, 6a; PI. LI, Fig. a; PI. LXXIII, Fig. 3. 



1828. Botidaria major Broun, in Bischoff: KryptogJim. Gewiicbse, vol. ii, p. 89, pi. xiii, 



figs. 2a-b. 

 1835. Spheno2)hyllum majus Broun, Leth. Oeogn., vol. i, p. 32, pi. viii, figs. 9rt, 9b. 

 1886. Sphenopliyllum majus Broun, Zeiller, Fl. foss. houill. Valenciennes, Atlas, pi. 



Ixiv, figs. I, la, 2, 2a; text (1888), p. 420. 



1 Calamar. d. Carbon-Fl., p. 232, pi. xv6, fig. 4. 

 = Ver8t. bohm. Ablag., vol. i, 1874, p. 134, pi. xviii, figs. 3, 5. 



^ VI. foss. houill. Valeuciennes, p. 410, pi. Ixiv, fig. 5. fitude s. 1. constitution d. I'appareil fruet. d. 

 Spbenophyllnm : Mi5in. Soc. gcol. Fr., Pal., toI. iv, no. 11, 1893, pi. ii, figs. 4, 4a. 

 ' Verb. d. A^aterl. Mns. Bohmen, 1838, p. 29, pi. ii, figs. 2-4. 

 ■• Pevmnlcarb. Fl., p. 26, pi. v, figs. 20-30; pi. vii, fig. 23. 



