132 DR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE 



this may be the cause of their difference in shape from those on the fertile specimens 

 of Sphenophyllum majus. I scarcely think that this explanation will explain their 

 difference in form, but nevertheless they are very probably from a plant closely 

 related to Sphenophyllum majus, but I do not think we can refer them to that species, 

 though 1 know of no Sphenophyllum from the same horizon to which they might belong. 

 Horizon and Locality. — Blue Measures, above Brooch Coal : Jubilee Pit, Sandwell 

 Park, West Bromwich. 



Lycopodiacese. 



Lycopodites Brongniart (pars). 



Lycopodites Meeki Lesqx. 



1870. Lycopodites Meekii, Lesqx., Geol. Survey of Illin., vol. iv. p. 426, pi. xxvi, figs. 6 and 6a. 

 1874. ,, „ Schimper, Traite d. paleont. veget., vol. iii. p. 532. 



1879. ,, ,, Lesqx., Coal Flora, p. 857, pi. lxii. figs. 1 and la. 



Remarks. — Mr Henry Insley has collected a slab, about 21 cm. broad by 25 cm. 

 long, bearing many branchlets of this delicate Lycopod. The longest branch, which 

 bifurcates four times at an acute angle, has a length of about 2 1 cm. , and at its broken- 

 over lower extremity it measures about 5 mm. across. The surface of the stem bears 

 fusiform cushions very similar in form to those of Lepidodendron, about 5 mm. long 

 and 0'75 mm. wide. The leaves are very narrow, almost setaceous, and their greatest 

 length is about 175 cm. They are occasionally adpressed, but more commonly they 

 spread slightly outwards from the stem at an acute angle. 



A midrib has not been observed in the leaves. 



As Lesquereux has already pointed out, Lycopodites Meeki has a general 

 resemblance to the Lepidodendron selaginoides Sternb., especially to his pi. xvii. 

 fig. 1, # but is much more slender and the leaves narrower and longer in proportion to 

 their width. 



In the absence of fructification there may be some doubt as to the systematic 

 position of this plant, but since many of the species formerly included in Lycopodites 

 are now placed in Selaginellites Zeiller,t it leaves Lycopodites Brongniart (pars) free 

 for the retention of such imperfectly known species as the Lycopodites Meeki Lesqx. 



Horizon and Locality. — Blue Measures, six feet above Brooch Coal: Hamstead 

 Colliery, Great Barr, near Birmingham. 



Lepidodendron Sternberg. 



Lepidodendron ophiurus Brongt. 



PL XL figs. 2, 3. 



1822. Sagenaria ophiurus, Brongt., Class, d. veget. foss., pp. 27 and 90, pi. iv. figs, la and 16. 



1828. Lepidodendron ophiurus, Brongt., Prodome, p. 128. 



1886. ,, ,, Zeiller, Flore foss. bassin houil. d. Valen., p. 458, pi. lxviii. figs. 1-6. 



* Sternb., Essaiflore monde prim., vol. i. fasc. ii. pp. 29 and 35 ; fasc. iv. p. viii, pi. xvi. fig. 3, pi. xvii. fig. 1. 

 + Bassin houil. et perm, de Blanzy et du Creusot, p. 140, 1906. 



