Various features accidental to the maceration or perservation of the 
fronds have been described by different paleobotanists as sori, or 
sporangia of Glossopteris, but all have lacked confirmation, 
Ilowever, Professor E. A. Newell Arber has described with some 
detail the sporangium-like organs found by him in a beautiful state 
of preservation, though carbonized, on the sc.le-fronds of Glossopteris 
Browniana. These are sac-like organs, somewhat elliptical in form, 
1.2—1 5 mm in length and 6—8 mm in width, tapering asym- 
metrically at the ends, one end being bant to give a semi-retort 
form. 
The sporangia are provided with an outer cell layer of characteris- 
tic elongated rhombic cells and an inner layer more elongated and less 
conspicuous. They open by a longitudinal vent. Although no spores 
have yet been made out in the carbonaceous matter, there is hardly 
room for doubt, that the organs are sporangia, and Professor Arber 
seems slightly disposed to regard them as microsporangia comparable 
to those of a cycad, which they resemble in size, shape, ande mode 
of dehiscence. Iam strongly inclined to believe that the greatly 
thickened scale leavesshown in Pl. vii. Figs. 5 and 6, represent 
similar organs of fructification. 
As theresult of an exhaustive examination and comparison of 
the types, descriptions, and figures, relating to Glossopteris, Professor 
Arber has published, in his monograph, ‘‘The Glossopteris Flora’, (1) 
acarefully prepared synoptical key to the species of this genus. On 
account of the succinctness and excellence of this key I will here 
quot it, feeling sure it will be of great pratical aid to Brazilian students 
of the South American Permo-Carboniferous flora (2). 
Synopsis of species of Glossopterts 
I. Type of Glossopterts Browniana. Meshes of medium breadth, 
or narly elongate, midrib persistent. 
(1) Catalogue of the Fossu Plants ol the Glussupteris Flora iu the Deparlineul of Gev- 
logy, British Museum; London, 1905, p. 47. 
(2) Attention should be callad tote fact that Profvss.r Arber makes synonyms ol 
a number of species previously treated as distinct, so that the total number of species: 
recognized by him as valid is somewhal less than Lhose admitted by Feistmantel and other 
authors. Fullsynonymy is given in Professor Arber’s mouograp!. 
