THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE YORKSHIRE COAL FIELD. 215 



seem indistinguishable from Asplenites ophiodermaticus of Goppert, as figured on his 

 plate xvii. figs. l-2. # My enlarged fig. 4a seems similar to his enlarged fig. 2. The 

 ultimate pinnae are linear, alternate ; the pinnules are bluntly oval, or shortly pointed. 

 The pinnules on the basal part of the pinnae are almost upright on the rachis ; those 

 about two-thirds up, and above this point, are directed slightly forwards towards the 

 apex of the pinnae. The pinnules are very closely placed, and the anterior margin of 

 the pinnule slightly overlaps the posterior margin of the pinnule in front of it. They 

 are united to each other at their bases, and this united portion forms a narrow wing 

 along the rachis. The posterior basal pinnule is smaller than the others, and occupies 

 the angle caused by the union of the pinna and its parent rachis (fig. 4a) ; the superior 

 basal pinnule is, on the other hand, the largest on the pinna. By a gradual diminution 

 of the lobing as the pinnae recede from the basal portion of the specimen towards the 

 apex, we find the position of the compound pinnae (a) (on fig. 4), taken by small simple 

 pinnae (6) (on fig. 4), bearing first lobed or dentate (6'), and then entire pinnules (fig. 

 46), having all the characters of typical Filicites plumosus. These upper pinnules are 

 homologous with the ultimate pinnae of the lower part of the specimen. The rachis 

 is rough. 



SiuR,t among other species, unites with Asplenites ophiodermaticus, the Sphen- 

 opteris caudata, L. and H., pi. xlviii. This last-mentioned plant is certainly to be 

 referred to Filicites plumosus, and very probably so should Goppert's Asplenites ophio- 

 dermaticus, but not having seen any authentic specimens of Goppert's plant, I prefer, in 

 the meantime, to leave the union of this plant with Filicites plumosus an open question. 



Perhaps Brongniart's fig. 3, pi. cxxiii.,| is the same form of the species as that 

 given here on my pi. i. fig. 4. 



PI. II. figs. 5, 5a, and 56. 



From Woolley Colliery, Darton, near Barnsley, Yorkshire. Horizon. — Barnsley 

 Thick Coal. Middle Coal Measures. 



This specimen is the Sphenopteris crenata, L. and H. The fossil shows the upper 

 surface of the frond, but, at parts where the carbonaceous film is removed, the fructi- 

 fication is very beautifully shown. The pinnules are divided into narrow obtuse teeth- 

 like lobes, as seen in the enlarged fig. 5a, the nervation of which is obscure. 



The sporangia are beautifully preserved ; one is shown magnified 26 times at fig. 56. 

 They exhibit no indication of an annulus. 



The sporangia are placed so close together on the pinnules that they seem to occupy 

 the whole of the dorsal surface, and frequently the two halves of the pinnule are con- 

 duplicately bent upon each other, in which case it is impossible to discover the original 

 position of the sporangia, but they appear to have been placed almost parallel with the 

 veins. The sporangia are about 0'65 mm. in length. 



* Syst. fil. foss., p. 280, 1836. 



t Die Carbon-Flora d. Schatz. Schichten, p. 78, 1885. 



| Hist. d. v&je't. foss. 



