450 STRUCTURE AND AFFINITIES OF LEPIBOSTROBI. 



Mr. Cooper, of Bilston, containing three tolerably perfect Lepidostrobi, 

 and the remains of very many others, all vertically disposed in its axis 

 — of the natural size. 



Fig. 2. A much larger specimen of the same fossil, reduced one-third, 

 from Mr. Beckett, of Wolverhampton, containing more or less perfect 

 fragments of upwards of thirty cones of Lepidostrobus ornatus, besides 

 other vegetable matter. 



Plate 10, Fig. 1. A horizontal section of the fossil represented in 

 Plate 9, fig. 1, showing the arrangement of the Lepidostrobi in its axis. 



Fi°\ 2. Magnified view of semi-diameter of a very young cone, 

 whose position in Fig. 1, is indicated by the two arrows. It is also 

 probably the upper end of a cone, and contains sporangia full of spores. 



Fig. 3. Spores and sporules from the same, of various ages and sizes, 

 all rather mutilated. 



Figs. 5 and 6. Fragments of vessels forming the vascular axis of the 

 scales, in the same specimen. 



Fig. 7. Horizontal view of Plate 9, Fig. 2, of the natural size, show- 

 ing the numerous fragments of cones, and a curved portion of the bark of 

 Lepidodendron, the position of which is indicated by the four arrows- 



If the several points thus obtained be, so far as they refer to the 

 structure of the cones, singled out and arranged, it will be seen that in 

 the aggregate they afford a very complete knowledge of every part of 

 the genus Lepidostrobus, winch may be thus described : — 



Cone variable in length, cylindrical, obtuse at both ends, gradually 

 tapering towards the apex, formed of a perpendicular axis, around 

 which are arranged horizontal scales, each bearing a sporangium, or 

 hollow vessel filled with spores. 



Axis cylindrical, consisting chiefly of cellular tissue, traversed by 

 tubular vessels, which compose the vascular tissue. Vascular tissue of 

 wood, Plate 5, fig. 11a, forming a continuous ring enclosing the pith 

 of the axis, composed of long hexagonal tubes, whose sides are marked 

 with free or anastomosing transverse lines. Around this vascular tissue 

 of wood are arranged bundles of smaller and more delicate tubes, 

 Plate 5, fig. lib, which radiate outward to the basin of the scales. 



Scales horizontal, 8-16 in a whorl, composed of two parts. Firstly, a 

 slender pedicel, inserted into the axis and supporting the sporangium, 

 Plate 8, fig. lib, formed of vascular tissue, through the axis of which 

 runs the bundle of vascular tissue, fig. 11a. Secondly, a broad dilated 

 apes, at right angles to the pedicel, fig. lie, produced upwards into a 

 triangular acute point, fig. 2, and downwards into a blunt lobe, fig. lie, 

 also traversed throughout its length by a continuation of the vascular 

 bundle of the pedicel. This dilated apex is formed of very loose 

 cellular tissue laxer, especially towards the centre, which is generally 



