y6 Mr. Thomas Hick on a Sporangiferous Spike 



—on the basal portion of the same, and near the angle 

 formed with the basal portion by the parts that are 

 erect. But this appearance might easily be brought 

 about even if sporangiophores were present, and con- 

 sequently too much stress must not be placed upon it. 



From this description it will be seen that the materials 

 for forming an opinion on the affinities of this interesting 

 spike are very scanty, and, as has already been said, can 

 only lead to probabilities. That its affinities are not 

 Lepidodendroid is suggested both by the general appear- 

 ance of the fossil and the details of its organisation, as 

 already described. Unless, then, it be of a type hitherto 

 unknown, a view which the description given is quite 

 sufficient to negative, there are apparently only two groups 

 to which it may possibly belong, viz., the C alamariece and 

 the Sphenophyllece. 



Unfortunately our knowledge of the spikes belonging 

 to these groups is not as complete and as detailed as 

 could be desired, and palseobotanists have not yet suc- 

 ceeded in accurately limiting and defining the various 

 types which they include. The latest attempt to define 

 and classify Calamarian spikes that has come under my 

 notice is that of Weiss,* but even this leaves something 

 to be desired. Taking it, however, as the best that is 

 available, it will be seen that, including Eqnisetum, whose 

 existence in the Carboniferous period is still doubtful, 

 Weiss recognises 10 types of Calamarian fruit-spikes, 

 viz., Stachannularia, Calamostachys, Macrostachya, Huttonia, 

 Cingularia, Palceostachya, Volhnannia, and Equisetum. Of 

 these he gives careful descriptions and diagnoses, from 

 which it appears that in all, save one, the sporangia 

 are borne upon special organs or sporangiophores, which 

 are distinct both in form and position from the sterile 



* Bcitrage zar fossilen Flora-Stehikohlen-Calamarien, mit besonderen Beriick— 

 sichtigung ihrev Fructificationem, i876. 



