XXl] CYATHEACEAE 367 



Cyatheaceae, but even in the case of this species the evidence 

 of external form needs confirmation by an examination of 

 individual sporangia. 



Coniopteris. 



This genus was instituted hj Brongniart^ for fossil fronds 

 characterised by pinnules more or less intermediate between 

 the Pecopteris and Sphenopteris type and agreeing in the form 

 of the sori with the leaves of recent species of Dicksonia. It 

 should be noted that Stur included in this genus a species, 

 Coniopteris lunzensis'^ from the Upper Trias of Lunz, which he 

 regarded as a Marattiaceous fern. 



Coniopteris hymenophylloides, Brongn. Figs. 271, 272, 275, B. 



1828. Sphenopteris hymenophylloides, Brongniart, Hist. veg. foss. 

 p. 189, PI. Lvi. fig. 4. 



1829. S. stipata, Phillips, Geol. York. p. 147, PI. x. fig. 8. 



18.35. Tympanophora simplex, Lindley and Hutton, Foss. Flor. 

 PL CLXX. A. 



— T. raeemosa, ibid. PI. CLXX. B. 



— Sphenopteris arguta, ibid. PI. CLXVIII. 



1836. Hymenophyllites Phillipd, Goeppert, Foss. Farn. p. 256. 

 1849. Coniopteris hymenophylloides, Brongniart, Tableau, p. 105. 



— Coniopteris Murrayana, ibid. 



1851. Sphenopteris nephrocarpa, Bunbury, Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc. 



Vol. VII. p. 129, PI. XII. fig. 1. 

 1876. Thyrsopteris Murrayana, Heer, Flor. Foss. Arct. Vol. iv. (2) 



p. 30, Pis. I. II. VIII. 



The above list represents a small selection of the names 

 applied to Jurassic ferns from different localities which there 

 are good grounds for regarding as referable to a single type^. 



Frond tripinnate ; pinnae linear acuminate, attached to the rachis at a 

 wide angle ; the pinnules vary considerably in size and shape ; in some the 

 lamina is divided into a few broad and rounded lobes (fig. 275, B) while in 

 others the leaflets are dissected into narrow linear segments. The sori are 

 borne at the ends of veins; the fertile pinnules have a much reduced 

 lamina and, in extreme cases, bear a close resemblance to those of 



1 Brongniart (49) A. p. 26. ^ Krasser (09). 



s For fuller synonymy see Seward (00) p. 97. 



