KILMARNOCK, GALSTON, AND KILWINNING COAL FIELDS, AYRSHIRE. 333 



Sphenophyllum multifidum, Sauveur, Veget. foss. d. terr. houil. de la Belgique, pi. lxiv. figs. 1, 2. 



Rotularia polyphylla, Sternb., Essaifl. monde prim., i. fasc. 4, pp. xxxii. 47, pi. 1. fig. 4. 



Rotularia saxifragxfolium, Sternb., ibid., i. fasc. 4, p. xxxii. pi. lv. fig. 4. 



Sphenophyllum saxifragxfolium, Geinitz, Flora d. Hainschen-Ebersdorfer, p. 37, pi. xiv. figs. 7-10. 



Sphenophyllum saxifragxfolium, Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 13, pi. xx. fig. 8 (] figs. 9, 10). 



Sphenophyllum saxifragxfolium, Renault, Cours d. botan. foss., vol. ii. p. 87, pi. xiii. figs. 11-14, 1882. 



Sphenophyllum saxifragxfolium, Roehl, Foss. Flora d. Steink.-Form. Westph., p. 31, pi. iv. fig. 17 



(? pi. iii. fig. 2c). 

 Sphenophyllum saxifragxfolium, Weiss, Aus. d. Steink., p. 12, pi. x. fig. 62, 1882. 

 Sphenophyllites saxifragxf alius, Germar, Vers. v. Wettin u. Lobejun, fasc. 4, p. 17, pi. xvii. fig. 1. 

 Sphenophyllum dichotomum, Stur, Die Calamarien der Schatzlarer Schichten, p. 233, pi. xv. figs. 



5a, b, c, d ; (pi. xiiiS. fig. 2 — in lower right angle of figure 1). 

 Rotularia dichotoma, Germar and Kaulfuss, Act. Acad. Nat. Curios., vol. xv. p. 226, pi. lxvi. fig. 4. 

 Sphenophyllum erosum, var. saxifragxfolium, Coemans and Kickx., Bull. Acad. Roy. Belgique, vol. xviii. 



p. 151, pi. i. fig. 6. 

 Sphenophyllum emarginatum, Geinitz {not Brongt. ; in part), Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 12, pi. xx. fig. 6. 

 Sphenophyllum emarginatum, Sterzel (not Brongt.), Flora d. Rothl. im Nordw. Sachsen, in Dames and 



Kayser. Palxont. Abhand., vol. iii. Heft iv., Berlin, 1886, p. 23, fig. 9 (? fig. 16). 



Remarks. — Not uncommon, but generally occurring in a very fragmentary state. 



The form saxifragxfolium does not, I believe, represent a true variety, the divided 

 form of leaf appearing to be that which is always associated with the cones of the species. 

 Mons. Zeiller figures beautiful fruiting specimens which show the cones and their 

 accompanying saxifragxfolium foliage ; and on some fruiting specimens from Yorkshire, 

 communicated to me by Mr W. Hemingway, the same conditions were observable. It 

 seems, therefore, probable that the divided leaves are characteristic of the fruiting 

 branches, but between the typical cuneifolium form of leaf and the deeply-divided form 

 of saxifragsefolium there is every intermediate gradation. 



The systematic position of Sphenophyllum has not yet been clearly determined. 

 Some authors have referred it to the Equisetacese, others to the Lycopodiacese or 

 Rhizocarpese. 



From the Equisetacese, or more properly the Calamarese, Sphenophyllum differs in their 

 ribs not alternating at the nodes, and in their stems possessing a solid axis, not hollow as 

 in Calamites ; and though in their solid axis they show some points in common with the 

 fossil Lycopodiacese, they differ in possessing ribbed stems with well-marked nodes. The 

 structure of their cone is also peculiar, the sporangia being placed on the bracts a short 

 distance from the axis of the cone, in the elbow formed by the sudden upward bending 

 of the distal portion of the bract, and, according to Renault,""" the cones are hetero- 

 sporous. This author places Sphenophyllum among the Rhizocarps, but taking the 

 whole peculiar structural differences of the genus into consideration, I do not know that 

 we are warranted in referring Sphenophyllum to any existing order, and therefore the 

 genus is placed here under a separate group — Sphenophyllese, whose systematic position 

 probably stands near to the Lycopodiacese. ,t 



* Cours d. botan. foss., vol. ii., 1882, p. 102. 



t Consult further, Zeiller, " Sur la constitution des epis de fructification du Sphenophyllum cuneifolium" Comptes 

 Rendus, 11th July 1892, which has appeared since this paper was written. 



