148 



PROCEEDINGS OE THE GEOLOGICAL SOCIETY. 



[Feb. 6, 



The four species of Cycadaceous plants which constitute the bulk 

 of the flora are founded on fronds. One of these belongs to 

 the section Otozamites of the genus Palceozamia, species of which 

 characterize Jurassic rocks, and are chiefly found in the Lias and 

 Lower Oohtes. They greatly resemble, though quite distinct, several 

 species from the plant-bearing beds of the Yorkshire coast. 



The presence of Cycads in the ^' Uitenhage Series " of South Africa 

 is of interest when we regard the distribution of these vegetables in 

 time. Hitherto plants with Cycadeous affinities, and belonging to 

 the Jurassic epoch, have been met with only in the northern he- 

 misphere. Their discovery in South Africa in beds of the same age 

 that have yielded them in Europe, India, and North America de- 

 monstrates the wide geographical range of the Order Cycadaceas 

 during Jurassic times — an order now somewhat limited to tropical 

 and subtropical climes, and which has only continued to exist in 

 one of these areas — namely that of South Africa. 



Of the four species of Fecopteris, one is not satisfactorily distinct 

 from P. lohata of India; and two others are closely allied to P.Indica, 

 also from the Jurassic plant-beds of the Eajmahal Hills. 



In revievsdng the few species of this ancient flora of South Africa, 

 one cannot fail to be struck by the paucity of species in proportion 

 to the abundance of specimens ; and though limited in numbers, 

 as the distinct forms are, yet there can be no doubt of their Jurassic 

 character, seeing that some of the species are comparable with certain 

 others from the Jurassic series of England and India. Thus Palceo- 

 zamia recta, P. Rubidgei, Pecopteris Atherstonei, P. Pubidgei, and 

 Sphenopteris antipodum represent, as it were, Paloiozamia lanceo- 

 lata, Zamites lanceolatus, Pecopteris Indica, and Sphenopteris Fulgeri 

 of the European and Indian Jurassic rocks ; whilst Asplenites lohata 

 is common to these Indian and African strata : and though with one 

 exception they are distinct, yet on the whole the Jurassic Plants of 

 South Africa recall those of Scarborough and the liajmahal Hills. 



The following Table exhibits the affinities of some of the African 

 species : — 



Species from 

 South Africa. 



Palseozamia recta . 



P. Eubidgei j 



Athrotaxites, sp < 



Pecopteris Rubidgei f 



P. Atherstonei [ 



Asplenites lobata, 1 



Oldham, J 



)henopteris antipo- 

 dum 



Species analogous to 

 those of South Africa. 



Palseozamia lanceolata, 



Leckenby 



P. gigas, Lindl. ^ Hutt, 

 Zamites lanceolatus, ' 



Lind. (^ Hutt 



Athrotaxites Indicus, 



Oldham 



Pecopteris Indica, 



Old 



Sphenopteris Fulgeri, "I 

 Ettingsh J 



Localities where 



the species of 



South Africa or 



their analogues 



occur. 



Scarborough .. 



Scarborough ... 



Eajmahal 



Eajmahal 



Eajmahal ...... 



Germany 



Yorkshire 



Age of the beds 

 in these lo- 

 calities. 



Inferior Oolite. 



Inferior Oolite. 



Jurassic. 



Jurassic. 



Jurassic. 



Wealden. 

 Inferior Oolite. 



