Beneics — A. C. Seicard — Fossil Floras of Cape Colony. 42'> 



lands and sea-bed are determined are carried out all over the ocean 

 as far as the soundings have permitted. There can be no question 

 that this vfork is the most important contribution to our knowledge 

 of the Arctic submarine features which has yet appeared, and tlae 

 author embodies in it as far as possible the v^ork carried out in 

 the same field by other explorers. Edward Hull. 



II. — Fossil Floras of Cape Colony. By A. C. Seward, M.A., F.R.S.,^ 



etc. (Annals of the South African Museum, vol. iv, part 1 ; 

 122 pages, pis. i-xiv, and 8 text-figures. 1903.) 

 fM'^HIS memoir is undoubtedly one of the most important and 

 X complete that has yet appeared on the South African fossil 

 floras. It contains a lull description and many figures of the 

 specimens collected by the Geological Commission of Cape Colony 

 from four distinct formations. 



Beginning with the flora of the Uitenhage series, among the ferns 

 described and figured may be noticed Onychiopsis mantelli and 

 Cladophlehis broivniana, both of which occur in the Wealden of 

 Sussex. Numerous fronds of the Cycadophyta are figured, especially 

 of the genus Zamites, and also a nevv species of Nilssonia. Araucarites 

 Bogersi is described as a new form of Araucarian cone. The author 

 concludes that the " Uitenhage plants include types in part charac- 

 teristic of Wealden and in part indicative of Jurassic floras. On 

 the whole there is a balance in favour of a Wealden horizon." 



The next flora described is that of the Stormherg beds. The 

 following new species are among the plants figured : — Schizoneura 

 Tcrasseri, also known from China, Cullipteridium stormherg emse and 

 Chiropteris zeilleri, two fine fern-like fronds, the latter being known 

 from a single specimen in the British Museum, and Baiera storm- 

 bergensis, a large leaf of the Ginkgo type. Species of TJiinnfeldia, 

 Tcaniopteris, and other genera typical of the Ehaatic period, are also 

 described and figured. 



Among the plants of the Ecca series, in addition to Glossopteris 

 and other well-known members of the Glossopteris flora, several 

 genera of considerable importance are described from South Africa 

 for the first time. Neuropteridinm validum, already known from 

 beds of similar age in India and South America, is represented by 

 a large frond of which a figure is given. A new species of Psygmo- 

 phyllum, P. kidstoni, is described; a type of leaf doubtfully referred 

 to the Ginkgoales, which also occurs in the Permo-Carboniferous^ 

 rocks of Europe. The Lycopodean genus Pothrodendron, represented 

 by a new species, Bothrodendron leslii, is recorded for the first time 

 as occurring with members of the Glossopteris flora ; a further 

 example of the association of northern and southern generic types in 

 the Permo-Carboniferous rocks of South Africa. 



Lastly, from the Witteberg series (? Devonian), an obscure fragment 

 of a Lepidodendi'oid plant and examples of Spirophyton are figured. 

 The nature of the latter is discussed, and the conclusion is held that 

 these ' fossils ' do not represent the remains of plants. 



