462 STUDIES IN FOSSIL BOTANY 



were borne " on special organs, separate from the 

 leaves, i.e. on independent inflorescences." In Neuro- 

 pteris heterophylla, however, and in other cases, to be 

 subsequently mentioned, the seeds were borne on a 

 frond but slightly modified, so there can be little doubt 

 that the organ supporting them, even when more 

 specialised, was still foliar in nature. 1 



We have as yet very little knowledge as to the 

 nature of the male organs in the Neuropterideae. In 

 1887 Mr. Kidston described a form of fructification in 

 Neuropteris heterophylla, the species in which he subse- 

 quently discovered the seed. The specimen 2 consists 

 of a forked rachis, bearing the normal vegetative 

 pinnules below, while the branches terminate in four- 

 lobed bodies, which may be interpreted either as groups 

 of sporangia or as cupules. As there is no evidence 

 for the presence of cupules of this kind in Neuropterideae, 

 the former interpretation is somewhat the more probable, 

 in which case the specimen would no doubt represent 

 the microsporangiate fructification. M. Grand'Eury has 

 also observed a rachis bearing sporangium-like bodies 

 in Neuropteris, and '' floral discs," which he regards as 

 male, in Linopteris, but our information is still too 

 imperfect to allow of the subject being pursued further 

 at present. 



M. Grand'Eury has recently found evidence that 



1 C. Grand'Eury, " Sur Ies Graines des Neuropteridees," Comptes Rendus, 

 t. 139, pp. 23 and 782, 1904; "Sur les Inflorescences des Fougeres a 

 Graines du Culm et du Terrain Houiller," Comptes Rendtts, t. 143, 

 p. 761, 1906. 



2 The figure and description are reproduced in Mr. Kidston's paper on 

 " The Fructification of Neuropteris heterophylla" above cited. 



