14 
In 1828, only 500 species were enumerated by Brongniart 
from various parts of Europe. In 1845, Goeppert increased 
this number to 1792 species, belonging to 61 families and 
277 genera, of which 816 belonged to the coal formation; 
and he has subsequently seen 50 new species in the 
collection of Graser, director of the coal mines near Aix la 
Chapelle, obtained from that locality alone. In 1837 about 
527 species of fossil plants were described and figured in 
the Fossil Flora of Great Britain, by Messrs. Lindley and 
Hutton ; of these no less than 268 belonged to the true 
carboniferous system, and 65 to the upper carboniferous 
beds in the Oolitic shale, near Scarbro', &c, making col- 
lectively, 333 species ; a very large majority for one system 
out of the whole series through which the entire mass is 
distributed, and from which we must infer either that vege- 
tation was more profuse and various at the period of the 
deposition of coal than at that of any of the more recent 
formations ; (an hypothesis which appears to receive con- 
firmation from the brief Prodromus of Brongniart, in 1828, 
who ofives us the following enumeration and distribution : — 
Coal Measures 258, New Red Sandstone 19, Variegated 
Marls and Lias 22, Oolitic Series 49, Plastic Clay Forma- 
tion 35, London Clay 16, Lower Fresh Water Formation 
15, Upper Fresh Water Formation 6 species;)* or that 
* In 1845, Goeppert published the following much more extended and com- 
prehensive enumeration and distribution of fossil plants : — 
Families. Species. 
C Algae, Equisetaceae, Asterophyllitae, Filices, 
Transition or Grey- 3 Stigmarieac, Sigillariese, Lycopodiaceae, Abi- 
wacke 8 etinese, 52 
Carboniferous Limestone 3 Filices, Stigmarieae, Psaronieae, 3 
f Fungi, Algae, Equisetaceoe, Asterophyllitae, 
Filices, Stigmarieae, Sigillariese, Lycopodia- 
Coal formation 18 \ ceae, Cyperaceae? Gramineae, Palmae, Lilia- 
j ceae, Asparageae, Cannaceae, Musacese, 
l_ Cycadeae, Diploxyleae, Abietineae, 81C 
Red Sandstone 4 Equisetaceae, Filices, Psaronieae, Aroideae, ... 39 
Magnesian Limestone, 1 Mg ^ Filices> Cupressinese) 19 
and Copper Slate 3 > 
