173 



apex more and more confluent, and the terminal ones united, 

 slender, ovate-accuminate, rarely somewhat rounded, the 

 lowest ones seated partly on the primary and partly on the 

 secondary rachis of two forms, either narrow at the base, 

 broadly cuneate, and more or less deeply emarginate above 

 or obcordate. Veins all arising from the rachis, extremely 

 fine, dichotomous, diverging as they ascend. No costa. 

 Fructification unknown. 



Odontopteris crispata. N.S. 



Frond imperfect ; pinna, linear-lanceolate, with undulating 

 or pinnatifid lobes obliquely inserted upon rachis ; pinnules 

 or lobes crispate, with undulating margin sub-opposite, 

 obtusely and obliquely rounded ; length, twice the breadth ; 

 lower margin longest and very oblique ; veins all arising 

 from the rachis, closely set, but sharply marked ; once 

 forking at base or near the middle of the scarcely pinnatifid 

 lobe. The veins follow the same highly oblique angle as the 

 lower margin of lobe. Rachis thick with a continuous sub- 

 central groove. It is evident from the absence of free lobes 

 that the portion of pinna described was situated near the 

 apex of frond. Greatest breadth of pinna, 16 millimetres. 

 Greatest length of base of undulating lobe, about 16 milli- 

 metres. 



Greyish black shales, Augusta Eoad, Kfew Town. 



Sphenopteris lobifolia. Morris. 

 S. liasta. M'Coy. 

 S. germanus. M'Coy. 

 S. plumosa. M'Coy. 

 & jlexuosa. M'Coy. 

 S. ereba. M'Coy. 



In the shales at New Town there are abundant remains of 

 a fine large fronded species of Sphenopteris, which at first 

 sight I was disposed to consider belonged to a new species, 

 but a more careful diagnosis now strongly inclines me to 

 believe that it is a very variable form whose pinnulfe are 

 simple, free, or pinnatifid, serrated, incised, or variously 

 lobed from 1 to 5 on each side in extreme cases, according 

 to their situation on the piiinas, the latter themselves 

 varying accordingly as they are situated towards base, 

 middle, or extreme apex. The neuration partakes in this 

 tendency to vary ' with the form and situation of the 

 pinnulse. 



From several fine specimens I am able to estimate that 

 some of the fronds measured at least over 1 foot in length, 



