XXXVn] WTLLIAMSONIA 445 



tinuous lamiua with a wrmkled and ridged surface bent sharply 

 back at right-angles to the bracts and forming a double curve as 

 seen in the sectional view (fig. 557, C). The form assumed by the 

 vertical part of the disc is, I believe, the result of compression. 

 Wieland"^ regards this fossil as a whorl of microsporophylls 

 originally attached to the lower portion of the receptacle of a 

 bisexual flower. Close to the edge of one of the bracts is an 

 imperfectly preserved structure (fig. 557, B, s) which may represent 

 two alternately arranged rows of synangia belonging to one of 

 the hairy bracts ; but we have no evidence as to the position of 

 the microsporophylls on the flower-axis. The central space 

 enclosed by the crushed concrescent portion of the disc is large 

 enough to have embraced a receptacle but, on the other hand, 

 the portion preserved may have broken off from a proximal cup 

 like that of W. spectabilis^, which, as' Nathorst's specimens show, 

 is sometimes broken across near the upper edge of the basal 

 funnel. This specimen is spoken of by Feistmantel as William- 

 sonia gigas. It is impossible to say whether these Eajmahal 

 specimens belong to one species, and they are therefore provision- 

 ally designated Williamsonia sp. and Williamsonia sp. cf. W. 

 setosa. 



Williamsonia microps Feistmantel. 



This species is based on a compressed ovate strobilus surrounded 

 by linear bracts and a portion of the cylindrical axis*. It is 

 possible that this smaller, bud-Kke, specimen may be a younger 

 example of the species referred by Feistmantel to Williamsonia 

 gigas. 



Williamsonia Blandfordi Feistmantel. 



Founded on a small strobilus enclosed by linear bracts, from 

 the Jurassic rocks of Cutch*, very similar to Williamsonia pecten ; 

 as seen in fig. 558, drawn from the original specimen, the flower 

 is associated with a Ptilophyllum frond indistinguishable from 

 some examples of Ptilophyllum pecten. 



1 Wieland (11) p. 460, fig. 16 B. = jjathorst 09) p. 6. 



3 Feistmantel (77=) PL xli. fig. 4; (77) PI. I. fig. 6; PI. n. fig. 4. 

 * Ibid. (762) p. 52, pi. xn. figs. 5—7;' (77«) PI. i. figs. 4, 5; PI. n. fig. 6. 



