FOSSIL FLORA OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FIELDS. 93 



long, text-fig. 2. Another specimen, preserved in an ironstone nodule, is shown 

 natural size at fig. 5, and, although the specimen is somewhat broken up, the structural 

 details of the cupules are very beautifully exhibited, and can be seen with a lens 

 on the part of the specimen given enlarged about 2\ times at fig. 5a. A further 

 enlargement of the cupule lettered a on fig. 5a is seen at fig. 5b, where it is enlarged 

 about 6 times. The spread-out cupules on this example measure about 3 mm. across, 

 and are therefore larger than on the specimens to which reference has been made 

 above. They further show most distinctly a central prominent mammillate point, to 

 which I have no doubt a small seed was originally attached, though now fallen off. 

 To show that this is not an improbable explanation, it may be mentioned that small 

 Carpolithes-like seeds, only 1*5 mm. long and about 1 mm. wide, have been found in 

 the Lanarkian Series of Midlothian by Mr D. Tait, which when treated by the 

 maceration process showed the nucellus, pollen-chamber, and microspores, hence the 

 cupule was large enough to enclose such a seed. 



b 

 Text-jig. 2. —Zeillcria Avoldensis Stur, sp. a shows sporangia open, and b immature, x 3J times. 



Each of the segments of these larger cupules has a much more dense central 

 portion, as indicated by the amount of carbonaceous matter still preserved, and a 

 narrow, more delicate, margin. This is seen at fig. 5b, which shows a cupule enlarged 

 about 6 times. Possibly the thin marginal bands may represent overlapping portions 

 of the segments of the cupule. 



To return to the specimen described on PI. VIII. figs. 8-10 of vol. xxxiii. of the 

 Transactions of this Society, the cupule-like structures, as already mentioned, are 

 smaller than those given at fig. 5, and which are supposed to have enclosed a seed. 

 Text-fig. 2 shows two pinnules from the earlier specimen enlarged about 3|- times ; 

 that at a shows the attached bodies split into four valves, while that at b, 

 from the same specimen, shows a single oval unopened body attached to its 

 short stalk. Fructifications similar in appearance to this latter were described by 

 Dr Arber as the seeds of a Pteridosperm, under the name of Carpolithus Nathorsti* 

 Others of his figures f seem to show the structure divided into valves similar to the 

 figure given here. Subsequently Nathorst showed that the bodies which had been 

 regarded as Carpolithus by Dr Arber were really sporangia containing microspores, J 



* Ann. of Bot., vol. xxii. p. 57, pi. vi. fig. 4. 

 t Loc. cit., figs. 3, 5, and 6. 



\ Nathorst, Palaeobot. Mitteilungen, No. 4 ; Kungl. Svenska Vetenskaps-Akad. Handl., Band xliii. No. 6, p. 10, 

 pi. ii. tigs. 19-21. 



