200 PROCEEDINGS OF THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. [DcC. 14, 



zation, it not being apparent in the seven upper nodes, which are 

 nearly horizontal. The upper node appears to bear a whorl of 

 subulate suberect leaves, half an inch long, pressed against a large 

 terminal, erect, oblong body, resembling a cone. This is no doubt 

 an organ of fructification, but whether of male, female, or herma- 

 phrodite flowers, there are no means even of assuming: it is 2^ inches 

 long and 1^ inch in diameter, blunt at both ends, and appears to 

 have been in. a state of decomposition when imbedded. 



There is an appearance of what is usually (but often very erro- 

 neously) termed a bark, extending along the circumference, and for 

 some distance towards the axis of the cone, all round ; and this, 

 as well as the surface from which it has been removed, presents 

 obscure traces of hexagonal areolae : this appearance, howe-ver, varies 

 so much according to the light in which the fossil is held, that I 

 cannot place much dependence upon it. I have not myself, nor has 

 any botanist to whom I have shown the specimen, been able to detect 

 any character of importance in this terminal organ ; though it is 

 doubtless one of very complex organization, and, were it capable of 

 analysis, would form a most important addition to the scanty know- 

 ledge we possess of the affinities of the plants composing the Coal- 

 flora. 



After a very careful examination of Sternberg's description and 

 plates of Volkmannia, I have no hesitation in assenting to Mr. Mor- 

 ris's opinion as to the genus in which it is expedient that this fossil 

 should be placed ; and I propose that it bear the name of that excel- 

 lent palaeontologist, V. Morrisii. The Coniferites 1 verticillatxis of 

 Tate must also be placed in the same genus, until more perfect speci- 

 mens shall be found, or some characters detected, by which it may 

 be separated from it. 



Several species have been described of Volhnannia ; they are ver- 

 ticillately branching plants, with subulate leaves, and they probably 

 attained a considerable stature : as they have hitb.crto been met with 

 in the German coal-fields but rarely, it is the more remarkable that 

 several of them should have been found with organs of fructification; 

 as is also the case ^^ath this British specimen. 



Among Sternberg's species a very singular one has been figured 

 (Flor. Vorwelt, tab. 15) under the name of V. gracilis, which bears 

 a terminal cylindrical cone, as long as that of V. Moi'risii, but not 

 half its diameter. This cone presents no appearance of articula- 

 tions, beyond numerous whorls of short subulate leaves. The whorl 

 of leaves at the base of the cone of the Carluke fossil resembles one 

 of these, and it is very possible that as the cone of V. gracilis advanced 

 to maturity, the majority of its leaves (or rather bracts) might fall 

 off; leaving an areolated surface. This is, however, a mere hypo- 

 thesis. 



In existing plants, the arrangement of the male or female flowers 

 into cones or catkins prevails throughout so many natural orders, 

 that from this character alone no conclusion can be drawn as to the 

 possible affinities of Volhnannia : a combination, however, of this 

 and the fluted and articulated stem almost restricts us to two natural 



