KUNGL. SV. VET. AKADEMIENS HANDLINGAR. BAND 45. N:0 7. 7 



described by Brongniart 1824 as Filicites Nilsoniana and 1828 as Glossopteris 

 Nilsoniana, is identical with Sagenopteris rhoifolia Presl, was recognized already 

 by Schimper (1, Vol. 1 p. 642) and further confirmed by Nathorst (1, p. 31), who ex- 

 pressively remarks that, if one were to follow the rules of priority, the species should 

 be named S. Nilssoniana Brgn. sp. But with the laxer principles of priority of that 

 time, the name S. rhoifolia Presl was continually applied to the species and L. 

 Ward (1, p. 352), who seems to have overlooked Prof. Nathorst's paper, was the 

 first actually to use but not to institute the combination Sagenopteris Nilsoniana. 

 (The name should be written 8. Nilssoniana.) 



The type-specimen, figured by Nilsson (1, pl. 5, fig. 3) and Brongniart (1, 

 pl. 12, fig. 1 ; 3, pl. 63, fig. 3), is in the Palseobotanical Department of the Natural 

 History Museum of Stockholm, and, as it is not quite correctly represented in the 

 older figures, I have redrawn it in fig. 20, pl. 2. 



This widespread species has often been described and figured, and its great 

 variation is well known. I have here figured only some few specimens of different 

 appearance. The largest specimen found in Scania is represented by a detached 

 pinna from the sandstone of Hoer. Without being complete, it measures 12 cm. in 

 length and is 4,5 cm. broad. The opposite extremity is represented in figs. 17 — 18, 

 pl. 2. These latter specimens probably belong to young individuals. In fig. 18 the 

 petiole is seen to be comparatively broader than in the larger leaves, though the 

 difference is not so great as in the case of S. alata. In these small leaves the midrib 

 is often very indistinct or not at all developed. Fig. 24, pl. 1 represents a specimen 

 of normal size with only three pinna? preserved. These spring from one point in the 

 top of the petiole. The specimen pl. 2, fig. 15 is of interest, because the two re- 

 maining pinna? are spread o ut horizontally in a plane perpendicular to that of the 

 petiole, but this may be accidental. 



The venation of S. Nilssoniana has been described in detail by some authors. 

 The existence of a real midrib has often been denied, and Salfeld (1, p. 17) claims 

 to have discovered, for the first time, a distinct midrib in specimens from Theta. 

 Already the older figures, given by Nilsson (1. c), leave, however, hardly any doubt 

 in this respect. Many of the specimens from Hoer show a perfectly distinct midrib, 

 which often reaches nearly to the apex. Fig. 23, pl. 2 shows the venation of a 

 typical specimen of 8. Nilssoniana. The development of the midrib is subject to 

 great variation in this species as well as in Sagenopteris generally, and is not of much 

 value as a distinction of species. 



The structure of the epidermis is, after the usual treatment, clearly seen in 

 several specimens. In specimens from Hoer and Pålsjö the cuticle of the upper sur- 

 face is often well preserved and the cells appear with sharp outlines and compara- 

 tively thick, straight walls (pl. 3, fig. 11). In some specimens from Pålsjö the cells 

 covering the veins are elongated as in the lower epidermis. As in S. undulata no 

 stomata are found on the upper surface. The cuticle of the lower side has about 

 the same structure as in S. undulata, though the anastomosing rows of elongated 



