﻿1861.] 



BUNBURY FOSSIL PLANTS, NAGPUR. 



331 



(as in the case of the narrower and broader fronds of Sagenopteris 

 Phillipsii) whether the two are to be considered as varieties, or 

 (which I am rather inclined to believe) as two different forms of 

 frond which may occur on the same plant, as many recent ferns 

 have biformed fronds. I can find no trace of fructification on any of 

 the specimens of G. leptoneura ; nor, again, is there anything to 

 indicate that they were otherwise than really simple fronds. 



If Sagenopteris is to be distinguished as a genus from Glossopteris 

 by its venation, the present species will be referable rather to the 

 first of these genera ; but it appears to me that this and the G. 

 linearis, McCoy, are rather to be considered as connecting links tend- 

 ing to reunite the two supposed genera. 



The distinctive characters of my Glossopteris leptoneura may be 

 thus expressed: — 



Frond narrow, nearly linear (qu. sometimes lanceolate ?), rather 

 acute at the apex, tapering very gradually at the base into the stalk. 

 Midrib narrow, continued to the apex. Side-veins very fine, very 

 oblique, arched, dichotomous, anastomosing, and forming a complete 

 network from the midrib to the margin. 



4. Glossopteris stricta, n. sp. ? PL IX. fig. 5. 



Of this there are very few specimens ; but the plant appears a di- 

 stinct one, almost ambiguous in characters between Glossopteris and 

 Tamiopteris — at first sight more resembling the latter. Midrib very 

 broad and strong. Lateral veins very numerous and close, perpendi- 

 cular to the margin (as in Tceniopteris) and almost straight, only a 

 little arched at the very base ; more than once forked, and anasto- 

 mosing near their base — that is, near the midrib. This venation agrees 

 pretty closely with that of G. muscefolia, No. 2 ; but the frond is of 

 a different form, narrow, strap- shaped, with nearly parallel edges, 

 only very slightly widening upwards ; it has a much more firm and 

 rigid appearance, showing no tendency to be waved or crumpled. 

 The best specimen (with both ends broken off ) is 9 inches long, and 

 rather more than 1 inch in greatest breadth. The anastomosing of 

 the veins is most apparent in the lower part of the frond. 



Loc. SilewacM and Kampti. 



5. Pecopteris ? PL IX. figs. 6-8. 

 A single specimen from Kampti. A doubtful Pecopteris, with con- 

 siderable resemblance in outline, and apparently also in the venation 

 (which however is very obscure), to P. Plukenetii, Ad. Br. The speci- 

 men is ill preserved ; but the frond appears to have been large and 

 very compound — tripinnatifid at least. The portions which are pre- 

 served are probably the upper or terminal part of the frond (which is 

 bipinnatifid) and two of the lateral pinnse or branches (also bipinna- 

 tifid). Main rachis slightly winged or bordered. Pinnae (of the 

 second order) long, nearly linear in their general outline, spreading 

 nearly at right angles to the main rachis, pinnatifid ; ultimate pin- 

 nules nearly round (rounder than in any form of P. Plukenetii figured 

 by Ad. Br.), alternate or, in parts, nearly opposite, united from their 

 base nearly half-way up, entire, diminishing very gradually towards 



