SOME FERNS FROM THE CARBONIFEROUS FORMATION. 145 



Calymmatotheca affinis, L. & H., sp. 

 Plate IX. figs. 18-22. 



Calymmatotheca affinis, Kidston, Catalogue of Palceoz. Plants in Brit. Mus., p. 66, 1886. 

 Sphenopteris affinis, Lindley and Hutton, Foss. Flora, vol. i. pi. xlv. 



Sphenopteris affinis, Hibbert, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xiii. p. 178, pi. vi. fig. 4; PI. v. lis. 

 Sphenopteris affinis, Peacb, Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc, vol. xxxiv. p. 131, pi. vii. 

 Sphenopteris affinis, Peacb, Trans. Bot. Soc. Edin., vol. xii. pp. 162 and 187. 

 Sphenopteris linearis, Brongniart (not Sternberg), Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 175, pi. liv. fig. 1. 

 Sphenopteris linearis, Hibbert, Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xiii. p. 178, pi. vi. fig. 3. 

 Staphylopteris (?) Peachii, Peach, Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc, vol. xxxiv. p. 131, pi. viii. 



figs. 1,2, 3(4?). 

 Sphenopteris frigida, Heer (in part) Foss. Flora Spitzbergens, pi. i. fig. 2. 

 Sphenopteris flexilis, Heer (in part), Foss. Flora Spitzbergens, p. 8, pi. i. figs. 11-27 (pi. ii. 



figs. 7-10?) 



Description. — Frond divided into two symmetrical, lanceolate parts, tri- 

 pinnate or decompound ; primary pinnae alternate, lanceolate ; secondary and 

 tertiary pinnae alternate and broadly lanceolate ; pinnules cuneate, entire or 

 divided into 2-3 cuneate lobes. Veins numerous, radiating from the base of 

 the pinnule, and dichotomising 2-3 times. Fructification consisting of 4-6 

 oblong exannulate sporangia borne at the extremities of the dichotomously 

 divided fertile pinnae, which are wholly deprived of foliage pinnules. Position 

 of fertile pinnae not yet observed, but probably holding the same position on the 

 frond as those of Calymmatotheca bifida. Rachis smooth. 



Remarks. — The plant figured by Brongniart as Sphenopteris linearis is 

 evidently not Sternberg's fern of that name.* The specimen that has served 

 as the type of Sternberg's Sph. linearis is so imperfect that, from any evidence 

 afforded by the figure, it is very improbable it will ever be known what his fern 

 really is. 



On the other hand, the plant figured by Brongniart as Sph. linearis is the 

 same as that earlier described by Lindley and Hutton as Sph. affinis. The 

 type figure of Sph. affinis is unfortunately not very characteristic of the species, 

 and though small pinnuled forms occur, the pinnules are always more cuneate 

 than shown in the figure given on plate xlv. (vol. i.) of the Foss. Flora. As 

 far as this character is concerned, the figure given by Brongniart is more 

 satisfactory, but perhaps the most characteristic figures are those given by 



HlBBERT.t 



It may be added that the specimen figured by Lindley and Hutton as Sph. 

 UnearisX which is fortunately preserved in the Hutton Collection (Museum of 

 Natural History, Newcastle-on-Tyne), is not the Sph. linearis, Bgt. ( = Sph. 



* Sternberg, Vers. ii. p. 15, pi. xiii. fig. 4. f Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., loc cit. 



X Foss. Flora, vol. iii. pi. ccxxx. 

 VOL XXXIII. PART I. T 



