KILMARNOCK, GALSTON, AND KILWINNING COAL FIELDS, AYRSHIRE. 321 



Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Brongt. 

 (Plate I. fig. 1.) 



Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Brongt., Hist. d. ve'ge't. foss., p. 204, pi. liii. fig. 2*. 



Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Ettingshausen, Steinkf. v. Radnitz, p. 37, pi. xxi. fig. 2. 



Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Renault, Cours d, botan. foss., vol. iii. p. 190, pi. xxxiii. figs. 5, 6. 



Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Roehl, Foss. Flora d. Steink.-Form. Westph., p. 55, pi. xvi. figs. 10, 11 (? pi. xxi. 



fig. 9). 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Sauveur (in part), Veget. foss. d. terr. houil. Belgique, pi. xv. fig. 2 (not pi. xvi. 



fig. 3). 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. i. p. 399, pi. xxx fig. 1. 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Weiss, Aus. d. Steink, p. 13, pi. xi. fig. 67, 1882. 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Zeiller, Veget. foss. du terr. houil., p. 39, pi. clxii. figs. 1, 2. 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Zeiller, Flore foss. d. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 65, pi. iii. figs. 1-4; pi. iv. fig. 1; 



pL v. figs. 1, 2. 

 Sphenopteris irregularis, Sternb., Ess. fl. monde prim., vol. ii. fasc. 5, 6, p. 63 ; pi. xvii. fig. 4. 

 Sphenopteris irregularis, Andrae, Vorwelt Pflanzen, p. 24, pi. viii. and pi. ix. fig. 1. 

 Sphenopteris irregularis, Roehl, Flora d. Steink. Form. Westph., p. 56, pi. xvi. fig. 2 ; pi. xxxi. figs. 5, 6. 

 Sphenopteris irregularis, Roemer, Palceont., vol. ix. p. 24, pi. v. fig. 5. 

 Pseudopecopteris irregularis, Lesqx., Coal Flora, vol. i. p. 211 (? pi. Iii. figs. 1-3, 8). 

 Sphenopteris latifolia, L. and H. (not Brongt.), Fossil Flora, vol. ii. pi. clvi. ; vol. iii. pi. clxxviii. 

 Sphenopteris trifoliolata, Brongt. (not Artis), Hist. d. ve'ge't. foss., p. 202, pi. liii. fig. 3. 

 Sphenopteris trifoliolata, Sauveur (not Artis), ibid., pi. xix., fig. 2 ; pi. xxi. 

 Sphenopteris trifoliolata, Andrae (not Artis), ibid., p. 29, pi. ix. figs. 2-4. 

 Sphenopteris trifoliolata, Renault (not Artis), ibid., vol. iii. p. 192, pi. xxxiii. figs. 7, 8. 

 Diploihmema obtusilobum, Stur, Carb. Flora, vol. i. p. 354 ; pi. xxv. fig. 8 ; pi. xxvb. fig. 1. 

 Sphenopteris latifolia, var., Lebour (not Brongt.), Elustr. of Fossil Plants, p. 61, pi. xxx. 



Description. — Frond large and much divided. Primary pinnae opposite or sub- 

 opposite ; penultimate pinnse broadly linear, lanceolate, touching each other or slightly 

 overlapping ; ultimate pinnse placed close together, oblong or oblong lanceolate, and 

 bearing simple or more or less divided pinnules ; pinnules coriaceous, alternate on the 

 lower part of the basal ultimate pinnse, and divided into from three to seven rounded 

 lobes or lappets. The lowest basal pinnule on posterior side of the rachis is generally 

 more divided than any of the others. Pinnules on the uppermost part of the pinnse entire 

 or slightly lobed. Veins numerous, radiating from the base of the pinnule and dividing 

 at an acute angle, bifurcating several times before reaching the margin. 



Remarks. — The pinnules vary considerably in the number of their lobes and the 

 extent to which the lobes are cut in, according to the position they hold on the pinnse. 

 The lowest basal pinnule may possess seven lobes, and the lowest lobes are sometimes 

 separated almost to the rachis. On the upper pinnse the lowest basal pinnule is not so 

 much divided, being usually composed of three well-defined lobes ; the succeeding 

 pinnules are generally three lobed, but towards the apex of the pinnse the pinnules are 

 less distinctly lobed, aud the uppermost ones are almost entire or obovate entire, the 

 terminal pinnule having one or two slight notches. 



