Calamostachys binneyana (Garr.). 237 



ring of parenchymatous tissue. This may be compared with 

 the annulus of the cones of modern Equisetums. It contains 

 however some rudiments of vascular tissue. The discovery of 

 this organ further illustrates the similarity between the Palaeozoic 

 Calamites and modern Equisetaceae. 



Below the " annulus " there are four whorls of foliage leaves. 

 These are small linear, rather falcate structures, about 3 mm. 

 long, less than 1 ram. broad, and free at the base. They are 

 almost identical in their size, form, and arrangement, with those 

 known from impressions as Galamocladus grandis (Sternberg). 

 The structure of the leaves differs somewhat from those which 

 have been already described*. The upper portion consists of 

 a large strand of sclerenchymatous fibres running the whole 

 length of the leaf but smaller than that occurring in the bracts. 

 A small bundle occupies the centre of the leaf, and below, there 

 is a band of cells with dense black contents. The latter is 

 crescentic in transverse section and separates the pallisade tissue 

 from the bundle and fibres; its function is not yet certain. The 

 pallisade tissue is greater in amount than in the bracts, and 

 consists of radially elongated cells with thin walls and numerous 

 intercellular spaces. On its outside, there is a narrow epidermis. 

 Stomata are seen in some places, and were probably slightly sunk 

 below the surface of the leaf. 



The internodes of the stems between the leaf whorls seem to 

 have been covered with small hairs, which also occur on the 

 lower part of the cone. They are preserved as small, dense, 

 black bodies, and may perhaps have been glandular. 



The form of the cone and leaves shows that it is probably 

 identical with the impressions named by Weiss f Paracalamostachys 

 williamsoni, and also with Zeiller's Calamostachys grandis l- It 

 seems possible that the name Calamostachys binneyana should be 

 applied as indicating a type of structure rather than a species, and 

 hence the name Calamostachys grandis is perhaps the best desig- 

 nation for the cone described here. 



The discovery of this specimen is of interest for several 

 reasons. It furnishes for the first time direct evidence that this 

 well-known cone was borne on a Calamite plant. The question of 

 its affinities — at one time debated with keenness — was practically 

 settled some years ago, but the stem and leaves of the plant have 



* Hick, T. " On the structure of the leaves of Calamites." Mem. and Proc. 

 Manchester Lit. and Phil. Soc. vol. ix. p. 179. 1895. 



t Weiss, C. E. " Steinkohlen-Calamarien II." Abhandlungen zur geologischeii 

 Specialkarte von Preussen, Band v. p. 193. 1881. 



J Zeiller, R. Flore fossile du bassin houiller de Valenciennes, p. 376. PL 59, 

 Figs. 4—7. Paris, 1886. 



