158 DR ROBERT KXDSTON ON THE 



T received this specimen from the late Mr Henry Johnson, jun., after whom I have 

 pleasure in naming the fossil. It is shown natural size on PL XIV. fig. 2. 



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

 Coseley, near Dudley. (K/3573.) 



Polypterospermum Brongt. 



1881. Polypterospermum, Brongt., Recherches sur les graines foss. silicifiees, p. 27. 



Description. — Seed ovoid, obtuse at base and pointed at the summit; in transverse 

 section hexagonal, with six more prominent wings, one arising from each angle, and six 

 short and truncated wings springing from the sides between the angles. 



The specimens placed under this genus have twelve wings, but in the case of casts 

 it may be difficult to determine whether the wings are of equal or unequal width. The 

 fact of the seeds possessing twelve wings would seem to be sufficient justification for 

 their being included in Polypterospermum, even if the wings were of equal width. 



Polypterospermum ornatum Kidston, n. sp. 

 PL X. figs. 6, 7, and 7a ; PL XIV. figs. 5-9. 



Description. — Seed oval, hexagonal in transverse section, from 1*40 cm. to 2 cm. 

 long, and bearing twelve wings. The wings are of unequal width, those springing from 

 the angles wider than those which arise between the angles. At the apex the wings — 

 possibly only the wider ones which spring from the angles — extend upwards and terminate 

 in sharp points. Outer surface between the wings ornamented by somewhat irregular 

 transverse ridges. 



Remarks. — In a compressed condition it might be very difficult to recognise this 

 seed, as in such a state all the wings except those at the margins might be obliterated ; 

 but all the specimens described here are preserved in clayband ironstone nodules, and 

 though some are compressed, the majority have left an uncompressed impression in the 

 nodule, which, when split open, shows the impression of the uncompressed seed. In all 

 these cases the seed has been entirely removed, and only its hollow impression remains. 

 When the nodules are split, the wing is generally found on the matrix forming a 

 border to the two margins of the seed, and the positions of the other wings are indicated 

 by longitudinal furrows on the impression. Although, through imperfections, no one 

 specimen has shown the twelve wings as far as I know, still, from an examination 

 of such specimens as we possess, it would appear that twelve wings was the number 

 possessed by the seed. 



Fig. 9, PL XIV., shows what appears to be half of a seed ; the other half of the nodule 

 has unfortunately not been preserved. It is slightly compressed, but the position of 

 four or five wings can be seen, in addition to one on the matrix at each side of the seed, 

 so that twelve seems to have been the original number of wings here. The same seems 



