FOSSIL FLORA OF THE STAFFORDSHIRE COAL FIELDS. 161 



The specimen was collected by Mr H. W. Hughes: 



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

 Coseley, near Dudley. 



Lagenostoma ? urceolaris Kidston, n. sp. 

 PI. XVI. figs. 9, 9a, 10, 10a. 



Description. — Seed urceolate, truncate, about 3 cm. long and 2 '50 cm. wide. 

 Micropyle base surrounded by a prominent canopy about 50 cm. high and about 

 0*50 cm. wide, and of about the same height as micropyle. 



Remarks. — The seed occurs in an ironstone nodule, and though few of the 

 structural details are preserved, those which are shown are of sufficient interest 

 for description. 



The two halves of the specimen are given natural size on PI. XVI. figs. 9, 10, and 

 enlargements are added at figs. 9a, 10a. The general form of the seed is urn-shaped, 

 with a truncate top. The integument is seen on fig. 9a at a, which gradually expands 

 upwards to form a prominent "canopy" b. The pollen chamber is seen at c, which 

 contracts into the micropylar beak d. All trace of a "central column'' springing 

 from the base of the pollen chamber has entirely disappeared, if ever such a structure 

 existed in this seed. 



At e are preserved the crumpled and broken-up remains of the nucellus, and at/" 

 the empty passage of the vascular strand which entered the chalaza is seen. Between 

 the remains of the nucellus and the integument is a space, now filled with white 

 calcite g, which looks as if the nucellus might possibly have been free down to the base, 

 but probably this space has been formed through the decay of the tissue at this part. 

 If, however, the nucellus were free to the base, then of course the seed cannot be 

 included in the genus Lagenostoma, where it is provisionally placed. Another 

 explanation may be suggested for the parts lettered 6, figs. 9, 10. These may be fleshy 

 expansions of a soft outer layer, and not a cupular structure, but this explanation seems 

 very improbable. It is much larger than any other member of the genus as at present 

 known, but that circumstance is not sufficient for its exclusion. 



Although we may not be able to allocate the seed definitely to any genus, there 

 does not seem to be room for much doubt that it belongs to one of the Pteridosperms. 



The specimen was collected by Mr H. W. Hughes, F.G.S. 



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

 Coseley, near Dudley. 



t 



Rhabdocarpus Goppert and Berger. 

 Rhabdocarpus elongatus Kidston. 



1886. Rhabdocarpus elongatus, Kidston, Trans. Geol. Soc. Glasgow, vol. viii. p. 70, pi. iii. fig. 6. 

 1910. „ „ Arber, Proc. Forks. Geol. Soc, vol. xvii. p. 155, pi. xviii. fig. &. 



TRANS. ROY. SOC. EDIN., VOL. L. PART I. (NO. 5). 21 



