XXXm] CORDAITES 233 



Cordaites borassifolius (Sternberg). 



The leaves of this species, originally referred to Flabellaria^, 

 resemble those of C. frincipalis but differ in the ovate-lanceolate 

 and less obtuse apex and in the presence of only one or rarely 

 two finer striations between the stronger ribs. Corda's drawing^ 

 affords a good illustration of the crowded spiral disposition of 

 the fohage comparable with that on an Agathis shoot. The 

 lamina is usually 4 — 8 cm. broad but in exceptional oases may 

 reach a breadth of 12 cm. The species occurs in the Coal Measures, 

 especially in the Westphalian series and in Permian rocks. 

 FeistmanteP unites with this type Cordaianthus Pitcairniae (fig. 

 480, A), but as in other cases there may be a confusion between 

 C. borassifolius and C. frincipalis. Leaves described by Les- 

 quereux as C. communis^ are, as White says, not distinguished 

 by any well-marked characters from this species. White^ figures 

 some good examples of C. borassifolius from Missouri, reaching 

 in one case a length of 40 cm., showing on the lamina the fructi- 

 fications of a fungus, Hysterites cordaitis^ Grand'Eury. The leaves 

 described from Canada and the United States as C. Robbii'^ Daws, 

 are closely allied to if not identical with Sternberg's type. Among 

 other species differing in no definite character from G. borassi- 

 folius is C. lancifolius described by Schmalhausen^ from the 

 Permian of Russia. 



Cordaites lingulatus Grand'Eury. 



The leaves of this species^ are characterised by the obovate 



lamina and bluntly rounded or almost truncate apex; it affords 



a good illustration of the uncertainty of the ribbing as a diagnostic 



character. The lamina of a well-preserved specimen from the 



Blanzy coalfield described by Zeiller^" reaches a length of 35 cm. 



and a breadth of 10 — 11cm. decreasing to 4 cm. at the base 



(fig. 467). In the lower part of the lamina Zeiller describes the 



1 Sternberg (23) A. PI. xvm. = Corda (45) A. PI. xxiv. fig. 8. 



3 Feistmantel (72) p. 293. ■* Lesquereux (78). 



= White (99) B. p. 260, Pk. m. xvi. XLVI. 



^ Zeiller records the same fungus on leaves of Cordaites (Noeggerathiopsis) 

 Hislopi from Tonkin; Zeiller (03) B. p. 151. 



' Stopes (14) p. 82. ' Schmalhausen (87) PI. vi. 



' Grand'Eury (77) A. p. 218, PI. xx. figs. 1—4. 

 "Zeiller (06) B. p. 182, PI. xlvi.; Grand'Eury (90) A. PI. vn. figs. 1, 2. 



