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given; and possibly also the following species: — 8. flexuosa, 

 8. hastata, S. germana, 8. plumosa, originally described by 

 Professor Sir Fred. M'Coy from isolated pinnule fragments, 

 may yet be referred to the more complete type. I have thought 

 it best, in order to avoid confusion with the older specific 

 names, to associate the form described and figured by me 

 with the name of the author of the first described fragment 

 (S. lobata),viz., Sphenopteris Morrisiana, mihi. 

 Upper Mesozoic coal measure shales, Seymour, Tasmania. 



Sphenopteris tasmanica. (Nov. sp. Figs. 10-13.) 

 Frond bi-pinnate, lanceolate, probably when complete 12-15 

 inches in length. Stipe generally erect, round, slender, 

 undulating. Pinnae opposite, numerous, closely placed, 

 symmetrical, linear-lanceolate, falciform, tapering gently and 

 curving upwards. There are about 15 pairs of pinnules on 

 the larger pinnae towards the middle of frond. Pinnules 

 somewhat ovato-deltoid, opposite, decurrent, unsymmetrical, 

 the upper base being extended into a small auricle, which 

 slightly overlaps the lower and straighter cut-away base of 

 succeeding pinnule ; margins of pinnule simple ; the 

 uniformly auricled base of pinnules gives a winged, appear- 

 ance to the very slender thread-like stalks of pinnae. Nerves, 

 a single somewhat strongly marked flexuous nerve ascends 

 from rhachis into each pinnule, branching dichotomously ;. 

 generally two pairs of furcations reach margin on either side 

 of pinnule, and one pair reaching the apex ; but these 

 branchings vary, both with the position of pinnule on pinnse 

 and on froud, the lower side of pinnule often having one or 

 two nerves less than upon upper side. All these nervures ara 

 firm and well-defined. 



Greatest breadth of frond, 3-3i inches. 



Greatest breadth of pinnae, j-f inch. 



Greatest length of pinnule, T Vf inch. 

 This interesting fern was discovered by the writer several 

 years ago in the upper coal measure shales (Mesozoic) at 

 Lord's Hill, New Town, near Hobart. It is very distinct from 

 any other species of this genus, and is extremely rare, as 1 

 have found no trace of it elsewhere throughout similar -for- 

 mations in Tasmania. 



Pecopteris Buftoni. (Nov. sp. Pig. 3.) 



Frond unknown. Pinna imparipinuate, lanceolate-ovate; 

 pinnules or lobes simple, sub-ovate, with round or bluntish 

 apices, curving gently upwards ; the narrow rounded sinus 

 between each lobe extends nearly to rhachis, forming thereby a 

 continuous narrow wing to which each lobe or pinnule is 

 attached by its whole breadth ; margins thickened as_ if 

 caused by the curvature of a continuous marginal sori ; mid- 



