FOSSIL FLORA OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FIELDS. 97 



1886. Calymmatotheca asteroides, Zeiller, Flore foss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 141, pi. xii. figs, 2, 2a, 



and 2b. 

 1891. „ „ Kidston, Trans. Geul. Soc. Glasgow, vol. ix. p. 24, pi. iii. fig. 37. 



Remarks. — A number of years ago I saw a small specimen of this species in the 

 collection of the late Mr Henry Johnson, Dudley. 



Horizon and Locality. — Ten-foot Ironstone Measures : Clayscroft Openwork, 

 Coseley, near Dudley. 



Coseleya Kidston, n.g. 



Description. — Sporangia pyriform, exannulate, sessile, attached spirally or in close 

 verticils round the rachis, and forming dense masses. 



Coseleya glomerata Kidston, n. sp. 

 PI. V. figs. 4, 4a, 5, and 6 ; PL X. fig. 4. 



Description. — Rachis stout, slightly flexuous, with closely placed, irregular, small 

 transverse scars ; pinnae alternate, short, and entirely obscured by closely placed 

 sporangia arranged spirally or in whorls around the rachis. Sporangia pyriform, 

 exannulate, pedicellate, and free. Apparently dehiscing by a longitudinal cleft on 

 their ventral surface. 



Remarks. — At fig. 4, PI. V., the largest specimen of this fructification which has 

 been discovered is shown natural size. The sporangia themselves have decayed, and 

 the groups only leave their impression in the matrix, accentuated by a dark brown 

 stain. The same specimen is shown enlarged 2 times at fig. 4a. At the part- 

 marked a on this figure, one of the pinnae has been broken over and shows the groups 

 of sporangia in section, where at one point the form of the sporangia can be clearly 

 made out. Two of these are enlarged 9 times at fig. 46. They are pyriform, and 

 their base is contracted into a short pedicel. 



Occasionally one sees a dark line running down the ventral face of the sporangia, 

 which probably indicates the position of a longitudinal cleft by which dehiscence 

 took place. 



The rachis is stout, but this was necessary for the support of the dense masses of 

 sporangia which the short pinnae bore. The main rachis of this specimen must have 

 been densely clothed with scales, or hairs, from the numerous scars they have left to 

 indicate their former presence. 



At figs. 5 and 6 two other specimens of the same species are given. At a on fig. 6 

 the arrangement of the sporangia around the axis is also well seen. It is difficult to 

 determine whether the sporangia are in whorls or arranged spirally on the rachis, but 

 I rather think they are spirally placed. At the upper part of fig. 5 the form of the 

 sporangia is shown ; but the sporangia occur in such dense masses that one sporangium 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. L. PART I. (NO. 5). 13 



