144 DR ROBERT KIDSTON ON THE 



Westphalian Series which are characterised by the " bell-shaped " leaf scars, as figured 

 by Artis. It is therefore here provisionally treated as a distinct species. 



The specimen recorded from the South Staffordshire Coal Field is in the collection 

 of Mr H. W. Hughes, and very typical of the plant described by Artis as Euphorbites 

 vulgaris. I find the distance apart of the leaf scars varies considerably on different 

 specimens, on some being approximated and having much the appearance of Sigillaria 

 polita Lesqx.* Lesquereux describes his specimen as " ribs flat, very smooth," but 

 on the better-preserved specimens of Sigillaria vulgaris in my collection the lower 

 margin of the leaf scar is elevated, and the descending lines from the low-placed lateral 

 angles have transverse markings as in Sigillaria mamillaris, to which perhaps it has 

 a closer affinity than to Sigillaria scutellata. 



Koehne unites the Euphorbites vulgaris provisionally with Sigillaria Walchi.f 

 Horizon and Locality. — Old Mine Clay = Stinking Coal : Docking-iron Pit, Delph, 

 Brierley Hill. 



Sigillaria cordigera Zeiller. 



PI. XII. figs. 5, 5a. 



1886. Sigillaria cordigera, Zeiller, Flore foss. basein liouil. d. Valen., p. 526, pi. Ixxviii. fig. 5. 



Description. — Stem ribbed, ribs slightly arched, separated by well-marked straight 

 furrows. Surface of ribs ornamented with a fine shagreen, especially prominent between 

 the leaf scars, where fine short transverse line-like little furrows break up the surface 

 of the cortex. Leaf scars occupy about half width of rib, cordate, rounded, and 

 slightly contracted at base, with a large sinus on the upper margin, distant from 

 each other about the length of a leaf scar. Lateral angles absent. Cicatricules placed 

 about the distance of ^ the length of the leaf scar from the top, central (vascular) 

 cicatricule punctiform or slightly transversely elongated, the two lateral (parichnos) 

 oval, vertical or slightly diverging and on the same level as the vascular cicatrice 

 Ligule pit situated immediately above the leaf scar. 



Remarks. — This species, which appears to be very rare on the Continent, has not 

 been previously recorded for Britain, and is only known from a single locality. 



Sigillaria cordigera is at once distinguished from all the other species of the 

 genus by its cordate leaf scars, which frequently show a slight irregularity in form. 



At fig. ba a small part of the specimen is enlarged 2 times to show the 

 ornamentation of the cortex, which has much the appearance of the shagreen of 

 leather. 



I am indebted to Mr H. W. Hughes for a specimen of this species which was 

 collected by himself. 



Horizon and Locality. — Roof of New Mine Coal: Mount Pleasant, Brierley Hill. 



* In Rogers, Geol. of Pennsyl, p. 872, pi. xiv. fig. 3, 1858. Goal Flora, p. 490, pi. lxxiii. fig. 1. 



t <: Sigillariastamme," Abhandl. d. konigl. preuss. geol. Landesanstalt, neue Folge, Heft xliii. p. 54, 1904. 



