236 SEWARD: A NEW BRITISH CARBONIFEROUS FOSSIL. 
fossil under the name of Gyrocalamus, from the Permian rocks of 
Germany. This fossil, Gyrocalamus palatinus,* is described as the 
cast of a cylindrical and twisted stem with its smooth surface marked 
by two prominent spiral bands, each of which shows several small 
circular or elliptical scars; below each of the broad spiral ribs there 
occurs a projecting ridge. Weiss compares the fossil to Ca/amites, 
has a uniform breadth of 4 cm.; there is no indication of tapering at 
either end. 
In his important monograph on the Jurassic flora of France, the 
well known fossil Spirangium (Paleoxyris of Brongniart; Pale- 
obromelia of Ettingshausen), and refers to the closely allied genus 
Fayolia. e confirms Renault and Zeiller in their description of 
the Commentry species, and concludes that Fayo/ia supports rather 
than opposes the opinion that the Spirangee (including Spirangium 
and Fayolia) should be regarded as submerged apparatus which 
served as floats to some unknown plants. It would occupy too muc 
space to attempt a complete account of the problematical genus 
Spirangium, which has a geological range frem the Coal-Measures to 
the Wealden rocks; the various forms of this genus have been fully 
discussed by Mr. Kidston in a paper published in 1886. 
In 1887 Weiss§ founded an additional species of Fayolta, 
F. sterzeliana, on a specimen discovered by Sterzel in Permian strata 
near Chemnitz, Saxony. The figures of this species show a more 
or less prominent and rounded spirally-arranged ridge, with 
numerous circular scars, each of which has a small central dot ; 
immediately below each scar-bearing rib there is a sharp projecting 
line, and pines en we turns of the spiral the surface of the fossil 
is slightly concave. The Chemnitz specimens agree with that of 
Fayolia cpemicions palatinus, previously described by Weiss, ip 
the absence of any signs of tapering ends. FF. sterzeliana differs 
* Renault and Zeiller regard G. falatinus as identical with the larger Com- 
mentry species, Fayolia grandis (Etudes terr. houil. Commentry, Pt. i.). 
sf Paléontologie Francaise—Sér. ii. Végétaux. Plantes Jurassiques, vol. iv. 1891, 
p- . 
+ Royal Physical Soc., Edinburgh, vol. ix. p. 1. 
§ Jahrb. k. preuss. Landesanst., 1887, p. 94. oe 
Naturalist, 
