LYCOPOfrlTfeAE 263 



appear from their habit to have been herbaceous 

 plants. One such herbaceous Lycopod — Miadesmia — 

 has already been described in connection with its seed- 

 like fructification (p. 197). As a rule, the Lycopoditeae 

 are only known as impressions, but in favourable cases 

 the essential morphological features can be recognised in 

 these carbonised specimens. The plants, which until 

 recently were all included in the genus Lycopodites, 

 branched dichotomously, and have quite the habit of 

 recent Lycopods ; in some the leaves are uniform, as 

 in most species of Lycopodium, while in others they are 

 ranged in four rows, two of large and two of small 

 ldaves, just as in many species of Selaginella. This 

 character is not, of course, sufficient in itself to 

 establish affinity ; within the last few years, however, 

 the reproductive organs have been investigated in 

 certain species and a clear relationship to Selaginella 

 shown to exist. The genus Selaginellites has been 

 founded by Zeiller for species known to have been 

 heterosporous. 5. Suissei, Zeiller, 1 from the Upper 

 Coal-measures of Blanzy in France, has a dichotomous 

 stem, with four rows of dimorphic leaves of the type 

 of the tetrastichous Selaginellas. The strobili are of 

 considerable size, 8-10 mm. in diameter by 15 cm. in 

 length, with the sporophylls in numerous vertical series. 

 The sporangia of the upper part of the cone contain 

 numerous microspores, 40-60 /j, in diameter, while those 

 of the lower part are megasporangia, each of which con- 

 tains from sixteen to twenty-four megaspores, about ten 



1 Zeiller, " Bassin houiller et permien de Blanzy et du Creusot," Fasc. ii., 

 Flore fossile, 1906, p. 140. M. Zeiller's observations were first published 

 in 1900. 



