356 MR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE 



Neuropteris Scheuchzeri, Hoffmann. 

 Plate XXIII. figs. 1, 2. 



Neuropteris Scheuchzeri, Hoffni., Keferstein's Tcuchland geognostisch-geologisch dargestellt., vol. iv. 



p. 156, pi. lb, figs. 1-4, 1826. 

 Neuropteris Scheuchzeri, Zeiller, " Flore Houillere d. Asturies," p. 10 (Mem. Soc. Geol. du Nord, 



1882). 

 Neuropteris Scheuchzeri, Zeiller, Qites Mineraux de la France. Descrip. de la Flore Foss. Bassin 



houil. d. Valenciennes, pi. xli. figs. 1-3, 1886. 

 Neuropteris angustifolia, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 231, pi. lxiv. figs. 3-4. 

 Neuropteris acutifolia, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 231, pi. lxiv. figs. 6, 7. 

 Neuropteris acutifolia, Ettingshausen, Foss. Flora v. Radnitz, p. 32, pi. xviii. fig. 5. 

 Neuropteris acutifolia, Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinlf. in Sachsen, p. 22, pi. xxvii. fig. 8. 

 Neuropteris acutifolia, Gutbier, Vers. d. Ziuiclc. Schiuarzlcohl, p. 52, pi. vii. fig. 6. 

 Neuropteris cordata (not Brongniart), Bunbury, Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc, vol. iii. p. 423, pL xxi. 



fig. 1, a-f 

 Neuropteris cordata, Gb'ppert, Foss. Flora d. perm. Form., p. 100, pi. xi. figs. 1, 2. 

 Neuropteris cordata, Lindley & Hutton, Foss. Flora, vol. i. pi. xli. 

 Neuropteris cordata, Kidston, Catalogue of Palaeozoic Plants, p. 98. 



Neuropteris hirsuta, Lesquereux, Rep. Geol. Survey of Illin., vol. ii. p. 427, pi. xxxv. figs. 6-10. 

 Neuropteris hirsuta, Lesquereux, Coal Flora of Pennsyl., p. 88, pi. viii. figs. 1, 4, 5, 7, 9, 12. 

 Dictyopteris cordata, Rorner, Palmontographica, vol. ix. p. 30, pi. vi. fig. 4, 1862. 

 Dictyopteris Scheuchzeri, Romer, Palteontographica, vol. ix. p. 30, pi. ix. fig. 1, 1862. 



Description. — Frond large, ultimate pinnae alternate, lanceolate, and usually 

 composed of a large terminal and two small cyclopteroid pinnules ; medial 

 vein extending to within a very short distance of the apex, lateral veins fine, 

 close, numerous, usually divided four times, — the fourth dichotomy occurring 

 about midway between the midrib and the margin, and reaching the edge of 

 the pinnule at a wide angle. The surface of the pinnules bears irregularly 

 scattered short bristle-like hairs. Large cyclopteroid pinnules are also present 

 on the frond. 



Remarks. — The specimen I figure, which is in the collection of the Bath 

 Museum, shows a fragment of what must have been a very large frond. At the 

 top of the specimen the pinnae are reduced to a large pinnule with a basal lobe. 

 The other pinna? consist of a very large terminal pinnule, at the base of which, 

 on each side of the rachis, is a small cyclopteroid pinnule. The terminal pinnule 

 marked xis, 8 cm. long, but the one immediately below it must have been larger. 



Probably no species of the Carboniferous flora has been so much misunder- 

 stood and misidentified as Neur. Scheuchzeri, Hoffm. This arises from the 

 imperfect figures and description of the type specimens, to which may be added 

 the difficulty in obtaining the work in which the original description appears. 



We are chiefly indebted to Zeiller for unravelling the synonymy of this 

 species. 



Neur. Scheuchzeri has, in the great majority of cases, been identified in error 

 as Neur. cordata, Brongt."" 



* Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 229, pi. lxiv. fig. 5. 



