48 



PENNSYLVANIAN SPORES OF ILLINOIS 



which appear to vary considerably in width. 

 It is possible that the spines are of variable 

 width because originally they were some- 

 what lenticular in cross-section rather than 

 round. Thus in optical vision of an iso- 

 lated spore, the spines on the flattened 

 lenticular side will be wide while an end 

 view of the same spine will be narrow. 



Raistrickia pilosa sp. nov. 

 Plate 11, figure 4 



Description. — Spores are radial, trilete, 

 round to roundly triangular in transverse 

 plane, with long spines, and a relatively 

 small spore body. The spore body of the 

 holotype measures 39.9 X 40.3 microns, and 

 the known size range is from 37 to 43 mi- 

 crons. The trilete rays are long but 

 generally inconspicuous due to the spines. 

 The lips and commissure are poorly devel- 

 oped. The spines average in length about 

 one-fourth the diameter of the spore body 

 (10.5 X 12.6 microns) and in width the 

 spines measure from 2 to 3 microns. The 

 spore coat averages 2 microns in thickness. 



Holotype. — Maceration 544 Slide 2, No. 

 7 coal bed, Fulton County, Illinois. 



Discussion. — R. pilosa sp. nov. is charac- 

 terized by a small spore body, long narrow 

 spines, and long trilete rays. 



Ratstrickia prisca sp. nov. 

 Plate 10, figure 8 



Description. — Spores are radial, trilete, 

 roundly triangular in transverse plane, and 

 have numerous blunt spines. The overall 

 dimensions of the holotype are 52.5 X 54.6 

 microns, and the known size range is from 

 48 to 57.8 microns. The trilete rays range 

 in length from 14 to 20 microns. The lips 

 are distinct although thin and somewhat 

 elevated, and the commissure is definite. 

 An area adjacent to the rays on the proximal 

 surface has numerous dot-like thickenings 

 which may be an area contagionis. The 

 spore coat, on the proximal and distal sur- 

 faces, is covered with many spine-like pro- 

 jections which range in length from 2 to 

 more than 6 microns and up to 4.2 microns 



in width. The spore coat ranges in thick- 

 ness from 2 to more than 3 microns. 



Holotype. — Maceration 609 Slide 1, 

 Wayside coal bed-, Johnson County, Illinois. 



Discussion. — R. prisca sp. nov. is closely 

 related to R. grovensis Schopf, 1944. It 

 differs from R. grovensis by the presence of 

 a thickened area (area contagionis? ) , ele- 

 vated lips, and is somewhat larger in size. 



Raistrickia rubida sp. nov. 

 Plate 12, figure 1 



Description. — Spores are radial, trilete, 

 roundly triangular in transverse plane, and 

 have short blunt projections. The overall 

 dimensions of the holotype are 65.1 X 65.1 

 microns, .and the known size range is from 

 61 to 69 microns. The trilete rays vary in 

 length from 12.6 to 18 microns. The lips 

 are absent or poorly developed and the 

 commissure is frequently wide. The short 

 blunt projections vary in width from 3.5 to 

 6 microns and in length from 3.1 to 5.2 mi- 

 crons. The spore coat is unusually thick, 

 measuring 4.2 to 5.8 microns, and of a 

 brownish color. Folding of the spore coat 

 is unknown. 



Holotype.— Maceration 574 Slide 19, 

 Shoal Creek coal bed, Bond County, Illi- 

 nois. 



Discussion. — R. rubida sp. nov. is charac- 

 terized by a thick spore coat, and short thick 

 blunt projections. This species is similar 

 to and may be conspecific with type D 6 , 

 Knox (1938, p. 459). 



GENUS Florinites S. W. and B., 1944 

 Plate 12, figures 2-8 



The genus Florinites is represented in all 

 of the Pennsylvanian groups in Illinois. 

 It was most abundant during upper Trade- 

 water and lower Carbondale time, that is 

 from No. 1 coal bed through No. 2 coal 

 bed. A period of limited abundance has 

 been noted in middle McLeansboro time, 

 No. 8 coal bed. 



Florinites appears to have considerable 

 value for correlative purposes, though it is 

 known that additional species and possibly 

 a genus remains to be described. Additional 



