SEED-BEARING FERNS 85 
Kaloxylon Hookeri, were named in 1876; the petioles as 
Rachiopteris aspera in 1874; the seeds, known as Lagenos- 
toma Lomazxi, in 1903; while the pollen-bearing organs, 
called Calymmatotheca Stangeri, were not recognized 
as belonging to this remarkable plant until 1905. 
We are now in position to draw a fairly complete 
picture of the plant as it must have appeared when 
living. It was in effect a little tree fern, with long, slen- 
der, sometimes branched, stem 4 cm. or less in diameter, 
and provided with spines by means of which it probably 
climbed on its neighbors. The foliage was disposed 
spirally and consisted of relatively very large, finely 
divided fronds with small, thick pinnules with revolute 
margins, suggesting a xerophytic or halophytic habitat. 
The stem in the lower portion gave rise to numbers of 
slender roots, some of which appear to have been aerial 
in their origin. These grew downward and often branch- 
ed where they entered the soil. 
The stems, roots, and petioles, and even the pinnules, 
have been found silicified and so beautifully preserved 
that their entire structure can be made out with cer- 
tainty. Without going into a technical description 
of these organs, it may be said that the stem when young, 
and before secondary growth has begun has a very 
strong resemblance to the stem of Osmunda, but when 
more mature certain cycadean characters appear to 
predominate. The roots when young are marattiace- 
ous in character, but after secondary growth has been 
inaugurated they assume the well-known character of 
gymnospermous roots. 
The most interesting feature of this plant was, of 
course, the seeds. Beyond the fact that they were a 
part of a pinnule, as is shown by the structure of the 
pedicel, the exact manner of their attachment is not 
wn. The seed itself was a little acorn or barrel- 
shaped structure about a quarter of an inch long, and 
