ANNULARIA WITH PALEOSTACHYA FRUIT 
Epa M. Rounp 
(WITH TWO FIGURES) 
Among the. most common fossil plants in Rhode Island are 
Annulariae, thought to be allied to the modern Eguisetum. While 
the Annulariae or leafy shoots are seldom found attached to 
their supposedly Calamitean stems, the trunks of these ancient 
cryptogams are often seen in the coal strata and occasionally 
prove to be of large size. Much more rare, however, are the 
fruiting stalks of these primitive plants, one specimen of which 
has appeared from the coal shales of Rhode Island. This fossil 
is regarded by the writer as a new species of Annularia, both from 
the character of its foliage and the nature of its fruit. 
Annularia clarkii, n. sp.—In considering the affinities of the 
leafy shoots of Annularia clarkii one may cite Asterophyllites lentus 
Dawson.’ The Canadian material, however, is so fragmentary 
that correlation therewith is questionable. The fertile stalks of 
Annularia clarkii resemble in many ways Paleostachya (Volk- 
mannia) gracilis Renault,’ especially in the position of the 
sporangia, which appear to be borne in the axils of the leaves. 
The sporangiophores of the European species, however, are shorter 
and less stout than those of the Rhode Island plant (figs. 1, 2). 
In a recent publication’ statements are made to the effect that 
Calamariae, to which the Annulariae supposedly belong, show four 
main types of fruiting. The first includes Calamostachys, forms in 
which the cones are made up of fertile and sterile parts, the spo- 
rangiophores being placed midway between the leafy bracts. The 
second or Paleostachya type consists of cones, the fertile parts of 
which are borne in the axils of the sterile bracts. The third or 
Cingularia type is characterized by sporangiophores borne just under 
* Bull. Nat. Hist. Soc. N.B. 6:247. 1910. 
? RENAULT, B., Autun 2:75. pl. 29. figs. 1-7. 1893. 
3Scotr, D. H., Studies in fossil botany. Ed. 3. Vol. I. p. 43. 1920. 
Botanical Gazette, vol. 73] [326 
