408 FILICALES [CH. 



opteris marantacea. A splendid specimen from the Keuper 

 of Stuttgart is figured in Schimper's Atlas ^ showing the 

 pinnate habit of the frond and the broadly linear segments, 

 25 cm. X 3'5 cm., bearing rows of contiguous sporangia. The 

 large pinnules have a strong midrib giving off curved and 

 forked lateral veins. Presl's species may most appropriately be 

 included in the genus Marattiopsis. A specimen of M. maran- 

 tacea described by Leuthardt'' as Danaeopsis marantacea from 

 the Upper Trias of Basel shows a peculiarity in the venation ; 

 the lateral veins often fork near their origin, as noticed by 

 other authors, but each vein forks a second time near the edge 

 of the lamina and the two arms converge, forming a series of 

 intramarginal loops (fig. 265, B). 



Marattiopsis Muensteri (Goepp.). Fig. 245, D, E. 



This widely spread Rhaetic plant affords the best example 

 of a post-Permian species which may be accepted as an authentic 

 record of fossil Marattiaceae. Various generic names have been 

 used for this species; Goeppert originally described the plant 

 as Taeniopteris Muensteri^ ; Schimper* proposed the name 

 Marattiopsis, and Schenk* substituted Angiopteris on the 

 ground that the fertile pinnules resemble that genus rather 

 than Marattia. Marattiopsis, if interpreted as indicating a 

 family resemblance rather than special affinity to the genus 

 Marattia, would seem to be the more appropriate designation. 



This species has been figured by several authors and in 

 many instances with fertile pinnules ; the best illustrations 

 are those published by Zeiller^ in his monograph of Tonkin 

 plants. 



The pinnate fronds are characterised by a broad rachis bearing sessile 

 broadly linear pinnules rounded at the base, obtusely pointed at the apex, 

 reaching a length of 15 — 20 cm. and a breadth of 12 — 35 mm. From a 



1 Schimper (74) A. PI. 38 ; see also Schenk (88) A. p. 31. 



^ Leuthardt (04) p. 29, PI. xiii. flga. 1, 2. 



s Goeppert (36^) A. Lief. i. and ii. PI. iv. * Schimper (69) A. p. 607. 



■> Schenk (83) A. p. 260. ^ Zeiller (03) PI. ix. 



