RADSTOCK SERIES OF THE SOMERSET AND BRISTOL COAL FIELD. 365 



PAKT II. 



(Read 6th June 1887.) 



Pecopteris, Brongniart. 



Pecopteris, Brongt., Sur la Classification des Vegetaux Fossiles, p. 33, 1822. 

 Cyatheites, Goppert, Sijst. fil. foss., p. 319, 1836. 

 Asterocarpus, Goppert, Syst. fil. foss., p. 188, 1836. 

 Scolecopteris, Zenker, Linncea, vol. xi. p. 509, 1837. 

 Hawlea, Corda, Flora protogoea, p. 90, 1845. 



Remarks. — Several generic names, originating from some supposed likeness 

 to recent genera, or from the arrangement of the sporangia, have been proposed 

 by different authors for the ferns included here, and which were originally 

 placed by Brongniart in his genus Pecopteris. 



The name Cyatheites was given by Goppert to certain members of the genus 

 on account of their supposed resemblance to some of the Cyathea. This 

 supposed resemblance was dependent in great measure on imperfect preserva- 

 tion of the fruit. 



The genus Asterocarpus of the same author was founded to comprise certain 

 Pecopterids, in which the exannulate sporangia are arranged in a stellate manner ; 

 the greater number of his Cyatheites are now known, from the structure of their 

 fruit, to belong to his Asterocarpus. 



In Scolecopteris, Zenker, the exannulate sporangia are also arranged in 

 stellate groups, but the individual sporangia are produced upwards in a sharp 

 point, thus differing from Asterocarpus, where the sporangia are short. 



Hawlea, Corda, is most probably identical with Asterocarpus. 



The upper surface of the pinnules of many species of Pecopteris is covered 

 with short closely adpressed hairs. This villosity has been observed on many 

 of the Radstock species, viz., — Pec. arborescens, Pec. arbor escens, var. cyathea, 

 Pec. oreopteridia, Pec. villosa, and Pec. Milto?ii (Pec. abbreviata), and I have also 

 observed the same character on specimens of typical Pec. Miltoni, from Clay- 

 cross, Derbyshire, and Ashton-under-Lyne, Lancashire, and on Pec. polymorpha 

 from the Forest of Dean. On several of these species a villosity has pre- 

 viously been observed. It is probable that this villosity will be found to 

 be much more common in the genus Pecopteris than generally supposed, 

 as it is only observable on specimens in an exceptionally good state of 

 preservation. 



The fruit of many of the species of the genus has been observed and 

 described. 



