196 KiDSTOx: THE flora of the carboxiferous period. 
The fructification of Alethopteris is imperfectly known, but 
what is supposed to be a fruiting specimen of Alethopteris Serlii 
Brongt. has been described by Zeiller. This most interesting 
example appears to show that the sporangia were globular and 
arranged in rows along the veins. The fronds of Alethopteris 
attained to large size. 
The genus Lonchopteris Brongt. (Plate XXVI., fig. 2) holds 
the same relationship to Alethopteris that Linopteris does to 
Xeuropteris, having the same form of growth and pinnule cutting 
as Alethopteris, but is easily distinguished at first sight by the net- 
like reticulation of the veins (Plate XXYL, figs. 2a + 3). 
Odontopteride.e. 
The only genus of this family to which reference requires to 
be made is Odontopteris Brongt., w^hich, however, is very rare in 
British Carboniferous rocks, and appears to be restricted to the 
Middle and Upper Coal Measures (Plate XXYIIL, figs. 1 and la — 
Odontopteris alpina Presl. sp.). 
The pinnules are more or less tongue-shaped and attached to 
the rachis by their broad base. They have no true mid-rib — several 
veins passing into the pinnules direct from the rachis, where they 
bifurcate once or twice. 
Tree Fern Stems. 
Some of the palaeozoic ferns had stems like our modern Tree 
Ferns and must have attained to a considerable height. In 
Britain the two following genera of fern trunks occur : — 
Caulopteris L. k H. (Plate XXXIII. , fig. 1 — Caulopteris 
anglica Kidston). The frond scars are arranged in vertical rows 
placed close to each other. They are oval and contain, a short 
distance within the margin, a closed oval or horse-shoe-shaped 
band, which corresponds to a tract of sclerenchymatous or much 
indurated tissue. Within this band and near its upper end is 
placed the vascular bundle scar. The outer surface of the stem 
is usually densely clothed with aerial rootlets. 
Megaphyton Artis. (Plate XXXIII., fig. 2 — Megaphyton sp. 
allied to M. anomabim Grand' Eury.). The fronds are attached 
