FOSSIL FLORA OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FIELDS. 157 



Remarks. — Brongniart founded this genus for the reception of certain seeds with 

 their structure preserved, but the above external characters given by him for his genus 

 so entirely agree with some seeds T have seen from the South Staffordshire Coal Field 

 that I have little hesitation in placing them in Tripterospermum Brongt. 



It is quite possible that when the nucules of Tripterospermum are deprived of their 

 testa they might be placed in error in the genus Trigonocarpus. Tripterospermum 

 seems, however, to be somewhat rare in Britain. 



Tripterospermum ellipticum Kidston, n. sp. 

 PI. XIV. figs, la, lb, lc, Id. 



Description. — Seed elliptical, 6 cm. long and 2*50 cm. wide, with three prominent 

 wings of an almost equal width of 5 mm. throughout their whole length ; their rounded 

 ends project slightly past the apex of the seed, and at the base they become rounded 

 and form a small notch ; " nucleus " about 5 cm. long and 1 cm. wide. 



Remarks. — This specimen is preserved in an ironstone nodule. Owing to the 

 carbonaceous matter of the wings having caused weak parts in the stone when split, it 

 separated into three portions. These are shown in natural size on PI. XIV. at fig. 1, 

 a, b, c ; when they are put together, their relationship to each other is shown at 

 fig. Id. The seed is well preserved in so far as showing its form and the width of 

 the wings. 



The fossil was collected by the late Mr Henry Johnson, F.G.S., who some years 

 ago lent it to me for examination. 



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

 Coseley, near Dudley. 



Tripterospermum Johnsoni Kidston, n. sp. 

 PI. XIV. fig. 2. 



»■ 



Description. — Seed narrow cordate, emarginate at apex, about 3*50 cm. long and 

 2 cm. wide. Nucule ovate acute, about 1 cm. wide and 1 '50 cm. long. Seed provided 

 with three prominent striated wings about 075 cm. wide at centre of seed, but which 

 narrow upwards and extend considerably beyond the apex of the nucule ; wing extend- 

 ing beyond base and apex of seed ; emarginate. 



Remarks. — This fossil also occurs in an ironstone nodule, of which only one part has 

 been preserved. From the manner in which the nucule occupies the highest point of 

 the stone, from which the wings dip down on each side, one can easily observe that the 

 specimen is a Tripterospermum and not a Samaropsis. In general character it is very 

 similar to Tripterospermum ellipticum, but it is distinguished from that species by its 

 smaller size, and above all by its greater width and much broader wings. 



