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STERNBERGIA TRANSVERSA. 

 TRANSVERSE STERNBERG. 



Generic Character 



Stem with double longitudinal keels, terminating at different heights spirally 

 round the stem, and furnished at their termination with small tubercles. 



Specific Character. 



STERNBERGIA transversa. Stem ringed transversely; rings mostly distinct, 

 sometimes uniting two or more together. 



Synonyms. 

 This fossil plant has not been found described, or figured. 



Description and Locality. 



Stem (1) straight, simple, cylindrical, becoming compressed at the end; (2) 

 sometimes six feet in length, and from one to four inches in diameter, barked ; bark 

 bituminized. 



Keels in pairs, (AB) ascending longitudinally up the stem, to different heights ; 

 terminations disposed spirally round the stem, tuberculated ; tubercles small, numerous, 

 concealing prickles, which become more visible where the stem is unbarked. 



Transverse, rings slightly impressed, either single, or two or more intersecting 

 each other ; obliterated near the tip. (2) 



Found, lying horizontally, accompanied with Calamites ramosus and C. pseudo- 

 bambusia, in the clay-bind which alternates with the sandstone of Lea-brook quarry. 



Observations, 



Count Sternberg has figured a small specimen of a plant of this kind, in his 17th 

 plate, which was obtained from the galleries of a mine at Wranowitz, in the Lordship 

 of Radnitz, and whose interior was filled with a greyish sandstone. He considers it 

 to have some resemblance to the recent genus yucca, or perhaps pandanus. Although 

 it certainly belongs to this genus, nevertheless it is evidently a distinct species from 

 that here figured. 



The Count also quotes the Lithoxila lineis rectis et transversis cancellata, of 

 Volkmann in his Silesia subterranea, as greatly related to the plant he figures. 



There appears to be a considerable analogy between the appearance of these 

 stems and those of the stapelia? of our gardens ; but still this external form of the 

 stem, which is the only character visible, does not furnish sufficient ground for their 

 being positively referred to that genus. 



The name of Sternbergia has been given to this genus in honour of that illus- 

 trious naturalist, who has so ably studied these fossil plants. 



The first figure shows a portion of the trunk or the original size ; the second 

 the upper extremity in which the tubercular terminations of the double keels is shown 

 at A and B. 



