366 MR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE 



Pecopteris arborescens, Schlotheim, sp. 



Pecopteris arborescens, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. fuss., p. 310, pis. cii. ; ciii. ; figs. 2, 3. 



Pecopteris arborescens, Germar, Vers. v. Wettin u. Lobejun, p. 97, pis. xxxiv, xxxv. (fig. 4 1). 



Pecopteris arborescens, Grand' Eury, Flore Carbon du Depart, de la Loire, p. 68, pi. viii. fig. 6. 



Pecopteris arborescens, Zeiller, VegSt.foss. d. ten: houil., p. 81, pi. clxix. fig. 4. 



Pecopteris arborescens, Kidston, Catal. Pakeoz. Plants, pp. 113 and 253. 



Cyatheites arborescens, Geinitz, Vei's. d. Steinlif in Sachsen, p. 24, pi. xxviii. figs. 7-1 1 . 



Cyatheites arborescens, Heer, Flora foss. Helv., p. 27, pi. viii. figs. 1-4. 



Cyathocaipus arborescens. "Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jiingst. Stl: u. d. Rothl., p. 84. 



Filicites arborescens, Scblotheim, Flora d. Vorwelt, p. 41, pi. viii. figs. 13, 14. 



Pecopteris platyrachis, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 312, pi. cii. figs. 4, 5. 



Pecopteris aspidioides, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 311, pi. cxii. fig. 2. 



Asplenites nodosus, Gopp., Syst. fil. foss., p. 280, pi. xix. figs. 1-3. 



Pecopteris cyatheoides, Schintper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. i. p. 523, pi. xli. fig. 14. 



Pecopteris cyathea, Brongt., Hist. d. veget. foss., p. 307, pi. ci. figs. 1-3 (excl. fig. 4 = P. Candolliana). 



Pecopteris cyathea, Grand' Eury, Flore Carbon d. Depart, de la Loire, p. 68, pi. viii. fig. 7. 



Pecopteris cyathea, Zeiller, Veget. foss. du terr. houil., p. 82, pi. clxix. figs. 5, 6. 



Filicites cyatheus, Schlotheim, Flora d. Vorwelt, p. 38, pi. vii. fig. 11. 



Asjndites decussaius, Gopp., Syst. fil. foss., p. 369, pi. xxvi. figs. 1, 2. 



Remarks. — In typical Pec. arborescens the veins are simple ; in the form 

 distinguished by Schlotheim as Filicites cyatheus the veins are sometimes 

 simple, but usually once divided, and even occasionally divided three times. 

 The pinnules are also more oblong than in typical Pec. arborescens. 



The majority of botanists unite Pec. cyathea with Pec. arborescens, but, 

 among recent writers, Zeiller and Grand' Eury keep them separate. The 

 species is very common in the Radstock area, and occurs in a very fine state 

 of preservation. After carefully examining many examples, though the speci- 

 mens can generally be referred to their respective forms without much difficulty, 

 they are so connected by intermediate conditions that I can only regard Pec. 

 nrhorescens and Pec. cyathea as different states of one species. 



The upper surface of the pinnules of some of the typical specimens of 

 Pec. arborescens and the form cyathea is covered with short adpressed hairs, 

 similar to those on the specimen of Pec. (Scolecopteris) cyathea figured by 

 Stur."" 



The Asplenites nodosus, Gopp., is only a somewhat imperfectly preserved 

 fruiting specimen of Pec. arborescens, and his Aspidites decussatus is apparently 

 the corresponding condition of Schlotheim's Filicites cyatheus. Specimens 

 agreeing with both these so-called species have been collected. 



The form cyathea is of as frequent occurrence as typical Pec. arborescens. 



Localities: — Radstock; Wellsway Pit, Braysdown; Kilmersdon Pit; Upper 

 Conygre Pit ; Camerton. 



* Stur, Sitzb. d. I,: Akad. d. Wissensch., vol. Ixxxviii. Abth. i. p. 750, fig. 25, 1883. 



