GENUS CYSTOSPORITES 



51 



seem to be intimately associated with the 

 mesh structure of the fertile spores because 

 the fibers of the coat run across the reticu- 

 late pattern. Several previously published 

 reflected light illustrations (Dijkstra, 1946, 

 pi. 11, fig. 154; Potonie and Kremp, 1955, 

 pi. 10, fig. 85) of spores referred to C. varius 

 appear to be inversely reticulate. 



If the spores were so badly preserved or 

 obscured by adhering materials that posi- 

 tive identification of Cystosporites brereto- 

 nensis was uncertain, they have been re- 

 ferred to C. varius. In addition, the re- 

 ported abundances are based on the com- 

 parative abundance of spores of the two 

 species on balsam mounts which may or 

 may not parallel the actual relative abun- 

 dance. 



Two things need to be clarified: 1) 

 whether or not the type of Cystosporites 

 varius possesses an inverse reticulate orna- 

 mentation and 2) whether or not spores like 

 those of C. varius and C. breretonensis may 

 occur in the same cone or in cones of the 

 same species. 



Occurrence. — Spores of this species are 

 apparently absent from coals of the Casey- 

 ville Group. They first occur in the Baby- 

 lon Coal (maceration 588) and are rare to 

 present in the Willis (maceration 625A- 

 B) , Rock Island (No. 1) (macerations 626, 

 528A, 599B) , Murphysboro (maceration 

 550) , New Burnside (maceration 938C) , 

 Bald Hill (maceration 520A) , an unnamed 

 coal bed just above Stonefort (?) (macera- 

 tion 554F) , and Upper DeLong (?) (mac- 

 eration 829) Coals of the Tradewater 

 Group. They are abundant in one sample 

 of the Rock Island (No. 1) Coal (macera- 

 tion 528B) . 



In the Carbondale Group they are com- 

 mon to present in some samples of the Col- 

 chester (No. 2) Coal (macerations 580, 611, 

 824, 825, 826) , but rare in others (macera- 

 tions 579A-B, 603B) . They are rare in the 

 Harrisburg (No. 5) (maceration 583) and 

 Briar Hill (No. 5a) (maceration 633B) 

 Coals, and present in the Herrin (No. 6) 

 Coal (Schopf, 1938) . 



A few specimens were noted in the In- 

 diana VII (?) Coal (maceration 939A) . 



Cystosporites varius (Wicher) 



Dijkstra, 1946 



Plate 12, figures 5-8 



1934 Sporites varius Wicher (1934a), p. 173-174; 



pi. 8, figs. 3, 4. 

 1934 Laevigati-sporites varius Wicher (1934b), p. 



89-92; pi. 6, figs. 2-4, 6. 

 1938 Cystosporites breretonensis forma abortivus 



Schopf, p. 40; pi. 1, fig. 10; pi. 8, fig. 4. 

 1944 Cystosporites giganteus forma varius (Wich- 

 er) Schopf, Wilson, and Bentall, p. 42. 

 1946 Cystosporites varius (Wicher) Dijkstra, p. 58- 



59. 



(I differ with his interpretation of C. 



breretonensis as he has it in synonymy and 



text.) 



Description. — Fertile forms of Cystospo- 

 rites varius generally smaller than those of 

 C. giganteus, ranging from about 1000 to 

 4000 /x in length (Potonie and Kremp, 

 1956), typically elongate but well rounded 

 proximally and distally in lateral outline. 

 Spores characterized by an apical tuft or 

 granulose to spongy-appearing trilobate 

 mass which is usually wider than high. 

 Trilete suture and contact areas obscured, 

 except when apical tuft torn away (pi. 12, 

 fig. 7) . Spore coat characteristically fibrous 

 (pi. 12, fig. 8) and showing mesh structure. 

 Abortive spores from 350-1000 p in length 

 (Potonie and Kremp, 1956), rounded sub- 

 triangular (pi. 12, fig. 6) to round (pi. 12, 

 fig. 5) or elongate oval in outline. Apical 

 tuft present. Size of tuft or cushion not 

 constant, relative to spore-size; those on 

 abortive spores may be the same size as 

 those on fertile spores. Spore coat thicker 

 than on fertile spores, generally finely 

 granulose. 



Discussion. — A number of spores, noted 

 particularly in the Willis, Tarter, and older 

 coals, ranged from 990 to 1300^ in length. 

 Larger spores, probably fertile, were more 

 than 2000 ^ in length. The distinction of 

 fertile from abortive spores on size alone 

 seems rather tenuous. 



Occurrence. — The first occurrence of 

 these spores was noted in the "Makanda" 

 Coals (macerations 142, 906, 907) of the 

 Caseyville Group. They were abundant in 

 one sample. 



In the Tradewater Group these spores 

 are abundant to common in the "Sub- 



