8b EdtrlSETALES. 



Geology, Jermyn Street. The following examples are in the 

 Geological Department (Fossil Plant Gallery) : — 



v. 2546a. Figured by Damon ' as an Equisetaceous plant. 



Kimeridge Clay, Sandsfoot, DorselsUre. Damon Coll. 



Other specimens : — V. 25 (several examples), Kimeridge Clay, 

 ■Weymouth; V. 2546, Sandsfoot; 52,529, "Weymouth. 



Damon Coll. and. purchased, 1870. 



Group EQTJISETALES. 



In Buckman's list of Stonesfleld fossils published in the Geologf 

 of Cheltenham the name " Catamites'^.'''' occurs as a designation,, 

 applied with doubt, to certain specimens from Sevenhampton and 

 Eyeford. It is impossible to express any opinion as to the 

 Equisetaceous nature of the fossils, as neither a figure nor 

 a description is given. I have not seen a single specimen among 

 the large number of British Oolitic plants (excluding those from the 

 Yorkshire coast) that can confidently be referred to the Equisetales. 



Group riLICALES. 



Family MATONINE^. 



The two existing ferns Matonia pectinata, E. Br., and the 

 species M. sa/rmentosa, Baker, are usually placed in a separate- 

 division of Leptosporangiate ferns as survivals of a family which 

 was widely distributed during the Ehaetic and Jurassic periods. 

 The two fossil genera Matonidium and Lacoopteris agree very 

 closely, both in their habit and as regards the soral characters, 

 with the Malayan genus Matonia. "We may better express the 

 peculiarities and isolated position of these ferns by assigning them 

 to a family apart than by including Matonia, with its fossil allies, 

 in the large division of Polypodiaceae. As our knowledge of the 

 morphological characters of the comprehensive family Polypodiaceoe 

 becomes more complete, it seems clear that under that title are 

 included genera which cannot be regarded as constituting a natural 

 family. 



1 Damon (88), pi. xix. fig. 12. 



