374 O. Feistmantel — Contributions toioarch the [No. 4, 



I have reported on this subject in my first note on the Damuda fossils,* 

 and have done so recently more at lengthf ; so that here I will be very 

 brief. 



1. We must acknowledge the existence of Glossopteris in Australia 

 during the time of the lower coal-strata, the character of which is expressed 

 by a most predominant marine fauna. 



2. The carboniferous character of tbe strata ceased with the extinction 

 of the carboniferous fauna, Glossopteris still surviving and becoming 

 much more frequent in the succeeding period, which is marked by a flora 

 only indicative of a mezozoic age. 



3. In India Glossopteris is very frequent too, but mostly under 

 different forms and associated with no fauna, but with a tolerably abundant 

 flora, the alliances of which are unmistakably mezozoic and triassic. 



As to the affinities in the living flora, they can be partly found out. 

 In the Kamthis there occur pretty frequently specimens with a fructifica- 

 tion consisting of very well-marked sporanges in the areoles, indicating 

 the fructification of the genus Polypodium ; and this might be the case also 

 with a great many of the others, while a good many of the Eaniganj species 

 remind one, in the venation, of the genus Antropliyum, and of this those 

 forms with a midrib ; we would have, therefore, here also a relation of some 

 of the Glossopteris, Bgt., to Gangamopteris, McCoy, parallel to that which 

 we find in Antropliyum, i. e., forms with and forms without midrib. In 

 the Australian Glossopterides, Mr. Carruthers seems to have observed 

 a fructification along the veins ; this would perhaps indicate some difference 

 between ours and the Australian ones. 



At present I have to mention only two species as contained in Mr. 

 Wood-Mason's collections, one of them in fructification. 



Glossopteris aitottstifolia, Bgt., PI. XXI, Figs. 2 — 4. 

 1828. Brongniart, Hist. des. veget foss. I. p. 227, PL LXIII. f. 1. 

 1845. Unger, Synopsis Plant, fossil, p. 95. 

 1850. Unger, Genera et Species Plant, foss., 169. 

 1876. Peistmantel, Eec. G. S. India, IX. 3. p. 72. 



Fronde angusta usque ad 18 — 20 cm. longa et 1*7 cm. lata; apice 

 acuminata, rhachide (costa) crassa, nervis secundariis sub angulo acuto 

 eggredientibus, omnibus anastomosantibus ; retibus, rhacliidi proximis, maxi- 

 mis, marginalibus oblongis angustissimis. Margine marginato, fructifica- 

 tionem indicante. 



This species was first described by Bronginart (1. c.) from Eaniganj ; 

 but he had only incomplete specimens, which, however, were given again 

 in Schimper's ' Palseontologie vegetale.' 



* Pec. G. S. I. IX. 3. 

 t Ibid, IX. 4. 



