CALAMODENDRON. 17 



§ 5. Remarks on Asterophtllites and its Fructification. 



For many years Asterophyllites has been known as the leaves of Calamites, and 

 numerous specimens have been figured and described by Lindley and Hutton, Brongniart, 

 Ettingshausen, Presl, and others. From the joints of the stem of the plant, at each 

 of the oval spaces around it, proceeded a number of branches, radiating in every 

 direction. These, at their joints, sent out smaller branches, vv^hich, at intervals, from 

 lesser joints, again furnished whorls of leaves, with a length of an inch to an inch and 

 a half. The leaves were of the shape of a LepidophyUiim^ but scarcely so long or so 

 broad; and were marked in the middle by a strong midrib. In my cabinet are some 

 specimens of Asterophyllites with leaves longer than have been usually met with ; and 

 one of these will be figured, although not from the same locality as the specimens which 

 show structure came from. Unfortunately no well-recognised specimens of the external 

 forms of leaves have yet been met with in the calcareous nodules which afford the fossil 

 stems showing structure. 



The fructification of Asterophyllites is well shown in some specimens found by me in 

 the red shales of the Upper Coal-measures of Ardwick, near Manchester. A specimen 

 will be figured and described, which throws considerable light on the nature of the 

 plant. 



An example of another plant, resembling the Volhnannia sessilis of Presl, and allied 

 to Asterophyllites, and found in the Mountain-limestone of North Wales, will be given. 



By the kindness of my friend, Mr. John Aitken, of Bacup, I am enabled to give the 

 figure of the fructification of another allied plant, found near the Lower Brooksbottom 

 Coal (the lowest in the section previously given, p. 12) by Mr. Henry Stephenson, at 

 Ewood Bridge. This, if not the same as the Aphyllostachys Jvgleriana of Goeppert, 

 is very nearly allied to it. 



The three last-mentioned specimens are all about the same size so far as their 

 cones are concerned ; and these agree pretty well with the small cones found in great 

 abundance near the stems of Calamodendron, except in being about twice the bulk of the 

 latter ; but all four are very short when compared with the long cones of Flemingites 

 described and figured by Mr. Carruthers.^ Most probably this last-named genus had 

 whorls of leaves, like those of Asterophyllites, proceeding from a jointed stem, very 

 similar to, but not identical with, that of Bechera grandis, figured and described by 

 Lindley and Hutton. 



The fructification of Calamites has long been supposed to be that known as Volk- 

 mannia. Some years since, when examining my specimens of Calamodendron, showing 



' "On an undescribed Cone from the Carboniferous beds of Airdrie," ' Geological Magazine,' vol. ii, 

 p. 433, October, 1865. 



3 



