plants from the Devonian rocks 93 
This impression, although admittedly obscure, appears to us to 
be of a new type, and qnite distinct from those generally classed 
under the term Bythotrephis Hall, some of which are undoubtedly 
of algal origin, while others may in reality be the tracks of 
animals. It is distinguished especially by the absence of any 
dichotomy of the lateral organs from such plants as Psilophyton 
Daws. and Hostimella Stur. The nearest approach in habit 
among Devonian fossils previously described appears to be a speci- 
men from Spitzbergen figured by Nathorst* in 1894 as a 
Psilophyton-like stem, and one from Canada attributed by 
Dawson+ to the same genus. Here we also find an axis bearing 
lateral organs, somewhat similar in form to our specimen, but 
they are apparently arranged distichously, and not spirally. In 
¥ 
Fig. 1. An obscure plant impression from the Lynton beds. (Reduced.) 
any case, these fossils are probably generically distinct from our 
specimen. 
At the same time, the British plant appears to us to be too 
obscure to warrant the institution of a new generic term. Its 
chief interest lies in the unusual habit, which, imperfectly pre- 
served as it is, inclines us to the view that we may here be dealing 
not with a terrestrial, but with an aquatic plant, though not 
necessarily a marine organism. However this may be, the plant 
origin of the specimen will, we think, hardly be disputed, and it 
is, aS has already been pointed out, the first example made known 
from the Lynton beds. 
fe i Nathorst, K. Svensk. Vetens. Akad. Handl. Vol. 26, No. 4, 1894, p. 11, pl. 1. 
: + Dawson, Foss. Plants Devon. and U. Silur. Canada, 1871, pl. vu. fig. 80a. 
