LEPIDOPHLOIOS, AND ON THE BEITISH SPECIES OF THE GENUS. 537 



Feistmantel unites Lomatophloios with Lepidodendron, in which he places 

 Lepidophloios. He seems, however, to have confused the species, for under the name of 

 Lepidodendron dichotomum (pi. iii. figs. 3 and 5) he gives two figures which are the 

 Lepidophloios acerosus, L. and H., sp. # 



1877. Grand' Eury. Flore carbon du Depart, de la Loire et du centre de la France. 



Lepidophloios and Lomatophloios are here united (p. 141), but Halonia is treated as 

 distinct (p. 145). 



1877. Stur. "Die Culm-Flora d. Ostrauer u. Waldenburger Schichten," p. (327) 231, 

 Abhandl. d. k k. geol. Reichsanst, Band. viii. heft 2. 



Stur gives here a long description of the Lepidophloios leaf cushion and scar, the 

 genus Lepidophloios being regarded by him as a bulbil-bearing condition of a Lepido- 

 dendron stem. 



To understand his description of the Lepidophloios leaf cushion and scar, it is 

 necessary to give his views of the structure of the Lepidodendron leaf-scar. 



The leaf -scar of Lepidodendron, which is situated somewhat above the centre of the 

 leaf-cushion, contains, according to Dr Stur, three vascular cicatricules. Immediately 

 above the leaf-scar is a small cicatrice, which he names the ligule-scar. At the upper- 

 most angle of the cushion is another small scar, which he names the " insertion-point of 

 the sporangium." Immediately beneath the leaf-scar, and on each side of the medial 

 line, are generally two small oval depressions or points, which he calls the " vascular 

 glands of the leaf-cushion.'" 't (See here PL II. fig. 10, and explanation to figure.) 



In the Lepidophloios leaf-cushion and leaf-scar, Stur describes all these parts except 

 the " insertion-point of the sporangium" which in Lepidophloios he had not observed, 

 and Stur is thus led to unite Lepidophloios with Lepidodendron as its " bulbil-bearing " 

 portion, quoting such figures as that given by Goldenberg \ in support of his views. 

 This view of the relationship of Lepidophloios to Lepidodendron I believe to be thoroughly 

 erroneous. 



In regard to the various parts of the leaf cushion and scar to which he applies the 

 names of ligule-scar, point of attachment of sporangium, vascular glands of the leaf- 

 cushion, and the two lateral, as well as the central cicatricule, Stur classes all as 

 connected with the vascular system. From the increase in our knowledge of the structure 

 of the leaf-scar of Lepidodendron, knowledge mostly acquired since Stur wrote this work, 

 it is not necessary to go into the question of the connection of these parts with the 

 vascular system, as it has been shown from specimens whose structure was preserved that 



The figure of Lepidodendron dichotomum given in Sternberg, Vers., vol. ii. pi. lxviii. fig. 1, appears to me much 

 more like a Lepidophloios than a Lepidodendron, and it is quite probable that the two figures given by Feistmantel, to 

 which I have referred above, may be the Lepidodendron dichotomum of Presl in Sternberg, pi. lxviii. fig. 1 ; but are 

 not the plant of the same name given on Sternberg's pis. i., ii. 



t Stur (for figure showing these points), loc. cit., pi. xix. (xxxvi.), fig. 1. 



X Flora sarcep. foss., pi. xvi. fig. 6. 



VOL. XXXVII. PART III. (NO. 25). 4 M 



