346 MR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE 



I may note here that many of the Pecopteroids from this Coal Field are 

 found in fruit, but always in an immature condition, and seldom show their 

 structural details clearly, though in all other points the preservation of the 

 fossils is very fine. 



The mode of fructification of Sphen. tenuifolia appears to be similar to that 

 of Sphen. Giitzoldi, as figured by Gutbier.* 



Stur regards as distinct species the Sphen. tenuifolia, Brongt., and the 

 plant figured under that name by Gutbier, and has described a third species, 

 Sphenopteris [Calymmotlieca) subtenuifoliaA 



Brongniart states in his description of his Sphen. tenuifolia that the speci- 

 men was preserved in a coarse-grained sandstone ; hence he was not satisfied 

 as to the thorough accuracy of his enlarged drawing of the pinnule. If, how- 

 ever, we compare the pinnule, as represented by Brongniart, with that on 

 our PI. -XIX. fig. 2a, their similarity is very striking. On the other hand, 

 Brongniart's plant has apparently a more rigid growth, and the main rachis 

 is very thick for the size of the pinnae ; on our example the main rachis is 

 unfortunately not shown. 



With the fern from Zwickau, figured by Gutbier as Sphen. tenuifolia, our 

 example agrees perfectly, his fig. 9, pi. x. being apparently identical with my 

 fig. 2. The enlargement of the other example given by Gutbier in his pi. v. 

 fig. 10a, does not seem to differ essentially from my fig. 2a, though the segments 

 of the pinnules of his figure are shown to be a little stouter than in the 

 Somerset plant. 



Stur's Sphen. (Calymmotheca) subtenuifolia is very closely allied to Sphen. 

 tenuifolia, if really distinct from it ; but in the absence of enlarged details of 

 the pinnule segmentation, a critical comparison can scarcely be made. 



I have distinguished my example as Sphenopteris tenuifolia, Gutbier 

 (? Brongt.), till the true relationship of these plants to each other is decided. 



Locality : — Upper Conygre Pit. 



Sphenopteris geniculata, Germar and Kaulfuss. 

 Plate XXI. fig. 1. 



Sphenopteris geniculata, Germar and Kaulfuss, Verhandl. d. K. Leop. Carol. Akad. d. Naturf., 



vol. xv. part ii. p. 224, pi. lxv. fig. 2, 1831. 

 Diplothmema geniculatum, Stur (in part), Carbon-Flora, p. 297, pi. xxxv. fig. 1. 

 Sphenopteris Kaulfussi, Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. i. p. 412. 



Description. — Primary (?) pinnae divided into two symmetrical portions ; 

 rachis flexuous, winged ; secondary (?) pinnae alternate, lanceolate ; pinnules 



* Vers. d. Rothliegenden in Sachsen, p. 9, pi. ii. figs. 3, 4, 5. 



t Die Carbon- Flora der Schatzlarer Schichten, p. 257, pi. xxxi. fig. 5, 1885. 



