366 O. Feistrnantel — Contributions totoards the [No. 4, 



rliachide mecUocri striata ; nervis secundariis sub angulo suberecto e rha- 

 chide eggredientibus, ibsqiie ad 1/5 mm. distantibus, marginem versus paulo 

 incurvatis, crassiusculis ; simplieibus et fur cat is alternant ibus, furcatione 

 differentibus in part ibus longitudinis nervorum exliibita. 



The species was first described by Boyle (1. c.) as Glossopteris 

 danaeoides, although there is not anywhere the slightest anastomosis of the 

 veins, which on the contrary are all parallel and dichotoniously forked. 



This fern belongs undoubtedly to the same species which McClelland 

 later described as Taeniopteris danaeoides also from the Baniganj (Biu'dwan) 

 coal-field ; but his figures (PI. XV 1, la, 16) are very incorrect, especially 

 the enlarged portion (Fig. lb) . But we can at any rate certainly conclude 

 from them that this Taeniopteris was found a second time in the Baniganj 

 field, as McClelland's specimens do not differ from those of Boyle. Later 

 the same species has been brought by Mr. Hughes from the Jherria 

 coalfield, where, as Mr. Hughes assures me, it is pretty frequent, though I 

 can find only one specimen in our collections ; — and now Mr. Wood- 

 Mason has brought pretty numerous specimens of it from Baniganj, and 

 his statement is that he brought only the very best, while he left behind 

 great numbers of fragmentary ones. Also in the Barakur group in the 

 Bajmahal Hills (near Burgo) the same species has occurred. 



Taeniopteris is, therefore, as is seen from this examination, not want- 

 ing in the Baniganj field and from the Damudas generally, the more so 

 if we consider that from the Kamthis also several specimens are known. 



I have figured two specimens and two enlarged portions ; the two figures 

 complete one another, one being the basal, the other the apical portion. 



The chief character of this species is the very distant veins ; these 

 pass out from the rhachis, which is proportionally thin, at nearly right 

 angles,, and run almost straight to the margin, where they are a little 

 incurved; the veins are about 1/5 mm. apart; simple and forked veins 

 alternate ; the furcation does not follow any constant law ; some of the veins 

 are forked at the very base and may be forked again, others more towards 

 the middle, and others quite close to the margin. 



The apex is obtusely acuminate ; at base the frond is obovate and 

 apparently pedicellate. 



The biggest frond is 10 cm. broad and must have been at least 

 34 cm. long. 



By the great distance of the veins apart this species differs from 

 all others, but most approaches that from the Bajmahal hills which 

 Messrs. Oldham and Morris described as Taeniopteris musaefolia* but 

 which is, as I think, barely distinguishable from Taenopt. lata, O. M. ; the 

 only differences detected by Mr. Oldham being the slightly more distant 

 veins and the more coriaceous consistence of the frond. 



* Rajmahal Flora, Pal. Ind. 1862, PI. IV. f. 1. 





