74 



BRITISH CHAROPHYTA. 



Knowlton (8) (see Fig. 27 c, d) under the name of Calci- 

 sphccra Lemoni. In all the living, and, with the excep- 

 tion of those from the Carboniferoue, in all the fossil 

 Charophyte-fruits the number of the spk-al-cells is five, and 

 they are invariably coiled sinistrally. In these Devonian 

 organisms the spiral lines are nine or ten in number, and 

 evidently normally they have a dextral twist, though in 



Fig. 27. — Problematic organisms from the Devonian of N. America. 

 a, h, Moellerina Greenei, Ulrich (after Ulrich) ; c, d, Calcisphsera 

 Lemoni, Knowl. (after Knowlton) ; e, J', Trochiliscus bulbiformis, 

 Karp. (after Karpinsky). 



one of Ulrich's figures the reverse is shown (see Fig. 27 a). 

 In Knowlton's paper the question as to whether or not 

 they are Charophytes is discussed at length, and the 

 opinions of a number of authorities on the point are 

 cited. Of these Prof. Nordstedt, whose views on any 

 question relating to Charophyta must carry great weight, 

 and Dr. Allen, who had long worked at these plants, 

 were both of opinion that they did not belong to the 



