XIV] POECILITOSTACHYS 91 



more probably a large lycopodiaceous stem, either a Lepido- 

 dendron or a new genus, is worthy of note in reference to 

 Nathorst's account of Lycostrobus. 



In habit the fossil strobilus may be compared with the 

 triassic genus Pleiiromeia, but the position of the sporangia on 

 the sporophylls constitutes a well-marked difiference. The 

 most important result of Nathorst's skillful treatment of this 

 interesting fossil by chemical microscopic methods is the 

 demonstration of the existence of a large heterosporous tjrpe of 

 lycopodiaceous cone in a Rhaetic flora. 



Poecilitostachys. 



Under this generic name M. Fliche^ has briefly described a 

 fertile lycopodiaceous shoot from the Triassic rocks of Epinal in 

 France : the type species Poecilitostachys Hangi consists of a 

 cylindrical axis, 10 cm. x 5 mm., deprived of leaves and termi- 

 nating in a rounded receptacle bearing a capitulum of bracts or 

 fertile leaves. Detached megasporangia containing small globular 

 bodies found in association with the capitulum are compared 

 with the megasporangia of Isoetes. 



1 Fliche (09). 



