292 R. Ether idge — Leaves of Noeggerathio'psis. 



One of F. C. Grand-Eury's figures ' of Corclaites lingulatus displays 

 the termiual leaves of a branch bunched together or clustered, and 

 more or less subimbricate. By exerting downwards an expanding 

 pressure upon such a clump, when in the fresh state, a star-like 

 disposition, such as we have presented to ns in Noeggerathio'psis , 

 would, in all probability, be the result. What appears to be an 

 improved copy of Grand-Eury's figure is given by Renault.* A. similar 

 terminal clustering is also visible in the former author's figure of 

 Dory- Cordaites} 



If this cluster method of leaf arrangement be admitted in 

 Noeggerathiopsis it at once lends support to the accuracy of Zeiller's 

 reference to it of certain leaf-bearing branch portions, with leaf-scars 

 found in the Coal-measures of Tong-Kin. He remarked as follows : 

 " D'empreintes correspondant. k de petits fragments de rameaux, et 

 portant des cicatrices foliaires tres analogues a celles des Cordaicladus^ 

 marquees chacune de plusieurs cicatricules ponctiformes, disposees 

 les unes a la suite des autres sur un arc parallele au bord superieur 

 de la cicatrice." ^ 



No other example of NoeggeratJiiopsia leaves preserved in this 

 condition, other than those now recorded, has been found in the 

 Tipper Coal-measures of New South Wales so far as I am aware. 

 Referring to an occurrence of stems similar to that recorded by Zeiller, 

 Mr. L. Lesquereux * said "fragments of ribbon-like leaves rarely 

 found in connexion with the stems ". 



The leaves of Cordaites are said by authorities to be spirally 

 arranged on a branch, but a very strange and remarkable form is 

 figured by Lesquereux as Cordaites radiatus} He wrote : " Leaves 

 short, narrow, linear, obtuse, placed in right-angle and star-like 

 around the stems." His fig. 5 is "part of a stem covered by 

 leaves horizontally diverging, so that each section of the stem shows 

 them placed exactly like the rays of a star ". Lesquereux's 

 expressions are not too clear ; does he wish it to be inferred that 

 the phyllotaxis is verticillate ? The figures certainly have such au 

 appearance. Or, is it an instance of a clump pressed down from 

 above, as I have suggested to account for the radiate arrangement of 

 the leaves in Noeggerathiopsis ? 



Locality. — Eig. 1. Mount Kembla, Illawarra. Collected by W. A. 

 Cuneo. Fig. 2. Mount Kembla. Collected by C. Cullen. 



Horizon. — Upper Coal-measures (Permo-Carboniferous). 



EXPLANATION OF PLATE XIII. 



Leaves of Noeggerathiopsis. 

 Fig. 1. — Seven leaves radiating from a common centre, lanceolate-spathulate, 

 four of the more complete with acute apices. 

 ,, 2. — Another example, with at least nine leaves radiate and more 

 symmetrically arranged than in Fig. 1 ; two appear to have obtusely 

 rounded apices. 



^ Kenault, Cours Bot. Foss., i, pi. xii, fig. 1, 1881. 

 ^ Grand-Eury, loc. cit., pi. xviii, fig. 8. 



* Zeiller, Ann. des Mines, 1882, Sept. -Oct., p. 26 (separate copy). 



* Lesquereux, Descrip. Coal Flora Garb. Form. Pennsylvania (Second Geol. 

 Surv. Penn., Report Progress, P), i, p. 525, 1880. 



* Lesquereux, loc. cit., p. 540, pi. Ixxxvii, figs. 5, 6. 



