476 BENNETTITALES l^^- 



represent funnel-shaped structures, the lower part having the 

 form of an incomplete cup made of the concrescent bases of about 

 20 broadly linear segments which in the upper part are separate 

 lanceolate lobes each with a midrib and slightly curved inwards 

 at the apex. The whole, nearly 10 cm. long and 9 cm. in diameter 

 at the upper edge, is very similar to the specimen of Williamsonia 

 spectabilis reproduced in fig. 551. Braun described three species, 

 but he realised the possibility that the different forms may be 

 different stages in the development of a single type WeUnchia 

 mirabilis. He assigned the genus to the Ehinantheae. Saporta^ 

 drew attention to the resemblance of Braun's species to some 

 examples of Williamsonia from Yorkshire which he considered 

 to be portions of a sterile appendage borne at the apex of the 

 flower. Some account is given of two types of funnel-like 

 structures connected with Williamsonia flowers on a previous 

 page^: one of these has been shown by Nathorst to be a whorl 

 of microsporophylls, and it is with this that Weltrichia agrees. 

 An important feature of Weltrichia is the occurrence of short 

 linear segments, 5 — 8 mm. long, attached to the inner face of 

 each of the free portions of the linear lobes: the lobes, or more 

 correctly the free apical portions of the fertile leaves, and their 

 slender appendages are compared by Nathorst* to the micro- 

 sporophylls and relatively long synangia-bearing appendages of 

 Cycadocephalus. These, presumably fertile, segments of Weltrichia 

 project in the flattened impressions beyond the edges of the free 

 lobes of the campanulate flower and look like marginal tpeth, 

 though they are actually attached on each side of the midrib 

 and originally extended, as in Cycadocephalus, towards the centre 

 of the funnel-shaped flower. The examination of one of the type- 

 specimens acquired by Nathorst* for the Stockholm Museum 

 enabled him to confirm his earlier conclusion that Weltrichia 

 represents the male portion of a flower, whether unisexual or 

 bisexual cannot be definitely determined, of a Bennettitalean 

 plant. There is, as Nathorst states, a close agreement in plan 

 between Weltrichia, Cycadocephalus, and Williamsonia, and indeed 

 it is not clear in what respects Weltrichia is sufiiciently distinct 



1 Saporta (91) p. 191, Pis. 253—255. " See page 428. 



3 Nathorst (09) p. 28. ^ Ibid. (IP); (12^"). 



