﻿330 ME. E. A. NEWELL ARBER OX THE [May I905, 



some of the fragments of the ^cale-leaves show what may possibly 

 be interpreted as the scars of attachment of these sporanginm-like 

 bodies, and also portions of the sac-like bodies themselves, which 

 have the appearance of being still in continuity. The best example 

 is that seen enlarged 15 times in PL XXX, fig. 4. It consists of a 

 small portion of a scale-leaf, which, at the lower extremity, is 

 obscured by a confused mass of these sac-like bodies resting upon it. 

 The leaf is undoubtedly a scale-leaf, as is shown by the absence of a 

 midrib, and the nervation, which, although somewhat faint, is that 

 of a Glossopteris. Several oval scars are seen (at a, 6, c), and in two 

 cases (b and c) fragments of the sacs are apparently still in continuity. 

 No great weight is, however, laid on the latter point, for, in such 

 impressions, it is often a matter of the greatest difficulty to show 

 that features which suggest continuity may not be equally well 

 explained on the grounds of chance association. Similar, but less 

 clear evidence is to be gained from fragments of some of the other 

 scale-leaves exhibited by these specimens. 



In this connection, the absence of any trace of the rhizome, 

 Vertebraria, in association with these organs is remarkable, and 

 the probability is thereby increased that these sac-like bodies were 

 not borne on a stem-structure. There is also no suggestion of 

 any aggregation into a strobilus-like arrangement, however lax. 



This evidence, in addition to that of the constant association of 

 these sac-like bodies with the scale-fronds already discussed, while 

 it may not be quite conclusive as to the exact manner in which 

 these organs were borne, is, I think, sufficient to place beyond 

 doubt their attribution to the fossil Glossopteris Broivniana. 



V. The Morphological Nature oe the Sporangium-like Organs. 



There remain to be discussed the nature and probable function 

 of these sac-like bodies. 



It would seem certain that, whatever may be the true solution of 

 this problem, these organs are not ramenta or chaffy scales, such as 

 occur on many ferns, both living and extinct. Their hollow, sac- 

 like structure, as well as other features of their morphology, is 

 totally opposed to any such inference. 



On the other hand, there is much to be said in favour of the 

 conclusion that these organs were true sporangia. We have seen 

 that there is some evidence for the provisional view, that they were 

 borne on the scale-fronds of Glossopteris Broivniana, that is on a 

 foliar organ. The aggregation of these sac-like bodies into groups, 

 recalling the sori of the true Perns, lends further support to this 

 argument. In their structure also, these bodies exhibit characters 

 common to the sporangia of both living and extinct plants, although, 

 so far as I am aware, they do not agree so closely with any one 

 type of sporangium as to remove at once all doubt concerning their 

 real nature. 



In size, they are neither larger nor smaller than certain fossil 

 sporangia. They agree very nearly in this respect with those of 



