80 DR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE 



inconstant in both " species," and even at the best they seem to be the result of 

 secondary causes, and not dependent on original structural differences. 



Sphenopteris Schumanni is therefore here united with Sphenopteris obtusiloba 

 Brongt. 



Horizons and Localities. — 



Roof of Brooch Coal: Himley and Tividale. 



Ten-foot Ironstone Measures : Clayscroft Open Work, Coseley, near Dudley. 



Roof of Thick Coal: Bradley Colliery, Bilston. 



Roof of New Mine Coal : Doulton's Clay Pit, Netherton ; Mount Pleasant, 



Brierley Hill. 

 Roof of Bottom Coal : Coseley. 



Sphenopteris dilatata L. & H. 



PL V. figs. 1 and la. 



1832. Sphenopteris dilatata, L. & H., Fossil Flora, vol. i. pi. xlvii.* 



1861. Sphenopteris Honinghausi, Salter (non Brongt.), Mem. Geol. Surv. of Great Britain: Iron Ores of 

 Great Britain, part iii.; Iron Ores of South Wales, p. 232, fig. 2. 



Remarks. — It is extremely difficult, probably impossible, to ascertain the true 

 characters of Sphenopteris dilatata as figured and described by Lindley and Hutton. 

 The type appears to be lost, and, notwithstanding what is stated in the description 

 in regard to the nervation, there seems to be no doubt the plant is a typical 

 Sphenopteris, and the enlargement which accompanies their figure bears out this view. 

 According to the enlarged figure, the nervation is very close, but I strongly suspect 

 that the artist is responsible for this, for unfortunately, when one is enabled to 

 compare the figures of the Fossil Flora with the types, the former are often found 

 to be most inaccurate ; hence I am not inclined to place too much dependence on the 

 accuracy of this figure. 



On Plate V. at fig. 1 is given a small specimen of the plant I believe to be the 

 Sphenopteris dilatata L. & H. It agrees well with the general character of the plant. 

 The pinnules are very convex and their distal margin is suddenly bent down, which 

 gives them a much more truncate appearance than they really possess. This is shown 

 somewhat in the enlargement given by Lindley and Hutton. If the pinnules were 

 spread out, their form would be, I believe, that of Sphenopteris obtusiloba Brongt. 

 They have very wide foot-stalks, into which only one vein appears to enter from the 

 rachis, but perhaps they are not wider than seen on the pinnules of the uppermost 

 pinnae of Sphenopteris obtusiloba. Several different localities have yielded specimens 

 of the plant I refer to Sphenopteris dilatata, but they are all upper portions of the 

 frond or of the large primary pinnae, and I am now inclined to think that the species 



* The Sphenopteris dilatata Lesquereux in Owen, 2nd Rept. Geol. Reconnoissance of Arkansas, p. 310, pi. iii. fig. 3, 

 1860, is not Lindley and Hutton's species of that name. 



