106 WILLIAMSONIA. 



seeds. la surface- view tte fossil presents the appearance of 

 a regular network of ridges agreeing exactly with the surface- 

 features of Williamsonia and Bennettites. There can be no doubt 

 that WilUamsonia BucMandi is a female inflorescence of the 

 Bennettitean type ; it was most probably borne at the apex of 

 a lateral shoot, and consisted of numerous sterile appendages and 

 ovuliferous peduncles attached to a stout central receptacle, the 

 meshes seen on the surface being formed by the contiguous distal 

 ends of the sterile appendages or scales. Sowerby's drawings, 

 published by Buckland, show several of the seeds exposed 

 on the somewhat worn outer surface, and it is clear that the 

 relation between the seeds and interseminal scales is precisely that 

 which has been described in other examples of the Bennettitales. 

 A comparison of Buckland's figiu'es with those given by Carruthers, 

 Solms - Laubach, Lignier, Wieland, and myself demonstrates the 

 Bennettitean nature of the Charmouth specimen. 



Williamsonia peeten (Phillips). 



[Geol. Yorks. p. 148, pi. vii. fig. 22, 1829.] 



(PI. IX. Fig. 6 ; PI. XII. Fig. 8.) 



1823. Fueoides (Gaulerpa) pentiattila, Brongniart, M^m. soc. d'hist. nat. 

 Paris, i. p. 301, pi. xii. fig. 3. 

 Polypodiolites pectiniformis, Sternberg, Flor. Vorwelt, iii. p. 36,, 

 pi. xixiii. fig. 1. 

 1825. Fiwoides pennatula, Sternberg, op. cit. iv. p. yi. 

 1828. F. pmnatulus, Brongniart, Hist. veg. foss. p. 49. 



Zamia pectinata, Brongniart, Prodrome, pp. 94, 199. 



1835. Z. pectinata, Lindley & Hutton, Foss. Flor. pi. cbcxii. 

 JFilicites seolopendriiAdes, op. cit. pi. ccxxix. 



1836. Zamia taxina, op. cit. pi. clxxv. 



1838. Cyeadites plumula, Sternberg, Flor. Vorwelt, vii. p. 195. 



1841. FtiUpkyllum peetinatttm, Morris, Ann. Mag. vol. vii. p. 117. 

 P. taxiimm, op. cit. p, 118. 



1842. Fneephalai-tos taxinus, Miquel, Mon. Cycad. p. 61. 

 M. pectinatus, ibid. 



1843. Pterophylhim Freslianwm, Goppert, Foss. Cycad. p. 51. 

 F. taxinum, ibid. 



1845. F. taxinwm, Unger, Synopsis, p. 156. 



1847. F. Preslianum, Unger, Chlor. Prot. p. bciii. 



1848. Palmozamia pectinata, Bronn, Ind. Pal. p. 897. 

 P. taxina, ibid. 



