430 



OPHIOGLOSSALES 



[CH. 



number of sporangia characterised by the presence of an arillus- 

 like basal ring. 



Geinitz\ who first described fertile specimens of Noeggera- 

 ^/ita, placed the genus in the Gymnosperms, and O. Feistmantel^ 

 was in favour of this view. C. FeistmanteP, who described 

 the small bodies in the sporangia, suggested comparison with 

 Schizaeaceae, and Weiss ^ discussed various possibilities, asking 

 but not answering the question, are the so-called sporangia 



Fig. 303. Chiropteris Zeilhri, Sew. [From a specimen in the British Museum 

 (v. 3268). Nat. size.] 



rightly so named or are they fruits ? Potoni^^ places the 

 genus in the Cycadoiilices. An important feature is the 

 occurrence of the sporangia on the upper face of the bracts 

 as in Lycopodiales and Sphenophyllum, but in other respects 

 Noeggerathia bears no resemblance to these two groups. Sterile 

 examples of the genus are similar in habit to Rhacopteris, but 

 in the latter genus the leaves or leaflets are laterally attached 

 and not obliquely inserted. Further, we may assume that in 



' Solms Laubach (91) A. p. 141. - O. Feistmantel (7,5). 



3 C. Feistmantel (79). •• C. E. Weiss (79). = Potoni(5 (99) p. 167. 



