264 FLORA OF LOWER COAL MEASUEES OF MISSOUEL 



Localities.— Yicinity of Clinton, Missouri, Nos. 8946, 9187, 9192, 9202, 

 9209, 9210, Lacoe collection, U. S. Nat. Mus; Pitcher's coal mine, U. S. 

 Nat. Mus., 6073, 6212; Hobbs's coal mine, U. S. Nat. Mus., 6210. 



COEDAIANTHUS DICHOTOMUS Lx. 



1878. Gordaianthus (jemmifer Gr. 'Ey., Lesquereux, Proc. Amer. Phil. Soc, vol. xvii, 



p. 32G, pi. xlvii, fig. 6. 



1879. Gordaianthus (jemmifer Gr. 'Ey., Lesquereux, Coal Flora, Atlas, p. 16, pi. Ixxvi, 



figs. 6, 6b; text, vol. iii (1884), p. 914. 



1880. Gordaianthus dichotomus Lesquereux, Coal Flora, vol. ii, p. 546, pi. Ixxvi, figs 



6, m. 



The relationship of the tyjje^ described under the above name to 

 C. ovatiis is one of the closest affinity, if the two species are not in fact 

 identical. After an attentive examination of the original of figs. 6 and 6&, 

 on pi. Ixxvi of the Coal Flora, I am far from certain that the specimen there 

 represented is to be separated from the C ovatus found in the same locality. 

 The gemmules do not differ in form from those described above. The scales 

 are likewise ovate-lanceolate, carinate, the keel passing into the acute point 

 conspicuously as in ovatus, though this character is not brought out in the 

 detail, fig. 6&. So also the bracts are dilated at the base and quickly 

 contracted to a striated, rigid, long, slender needle, being identical in their 

 superficial characters with those in the other species. 



With the exception of the dichotomies, the only external features by 

 which C. dichotomus and C. ovatus may be separated are a possibly greater 

 elongation of the gemmule, the scales being perhaps a little longer and 

 larger, and the less robust axis. But we have seen fertile axes of the same 

 character, save the forking, in the upper part of the stem of Corclaites 

 communis (type No. 8946 of the Lacoe collection) which bear indubitable 

 gemmules of Cordiantlms ovatus, while the attitude in the matrix of the 

 compressed radiating spikes about the stem in No. 8946 is strongly 

 suggestive of the arrangement figured as typical of C. dichotomus. The 

 inspection of the figure of the latter species given in the Coal I'lora^ 

 convinces me that three at least of the four dichotomies there represented 

 are the result of coincidence of position in the horizontal projection, the 

 axes, all of which undoubtedly spring from a single branch or stem, being 



' No. 9212 of the Lacoe collection, U. S. Nat. Mus. 

 - PI. Ixxvi, ligs. 6. 66, p. 546 



