Bd. Ill: 14) 
THE MESOZOIC FLORA. 
31 
pinnules but these are in such cases of a more palmate habit (1894, te.xt-fig. 10; 
1900 fig. 48). The specimen in pi. 7, fig. i, of the Wealden-flora, which has a 
great resemblance in habit to our fern, seems also, to judge from the figure, to have 
pinnules which, though pinnate, affect a somewhat palmate aspect, the basal lobes 
being comparatively large and directed forward. Of forms with more distinctly 
pinnatifid pinnules, one figured by Seward (1903; pi. 2, fig. 7 a) comes nearer to 
the present species; but that specimen does not show the characteristic incision with 
sharply pointed subfalcate lobes and rounded notches. 
Saporta (1894, p. 21) has described, from the Upper Jurassic of Portugal, a 
form which he names Splienopteris Mantelli nco-jurassica. The specimens figured 
show a great variation among themselves; if the best of them (pi. 6, figs. 7, 8) are 
regarded as types, it seems very doubtful whether this supposed variety has anything 
at all to do with .S. Mantelli: it might be better to name the form S. neo-jurassica, 
though the name is in itself not a very good one. Some of Sapor ta’s specimens, 
and especially those considered here as typical, show a remarkable resemblance to 
S. antarctica^ and I have been in some doubt whether the latter should not better 
be identified with the Portugese form. It is difficult to form a definite opinion on 
Saporta’s figures, but his plant would appear to have the notches between the lobes 
much narrower and much sharper than in S', antat'ctica. It is preferable, therefore, 
to keep the Antarctic form as a separate species, admitting however the possibility 
of a close relationship to S', neo-jurassica. 
Sphenopteris Leckenbyi (ZiGNO). 
PI. 3, figs. 20, 20 a. 
Hymenophyllites Leckenbyi^ ZiGNO 1867, p. 95; pi. 9, figs. 3 — 5; pi. 14, fig. i. 
The frond shown in pi. 3, fig. 20, is small and fragmentary and does not at first 
seem to afford sufficient material for specific determination. It shows, however, such 
a very close resemblance to ZiGNO’s Hymenophyllites Leckenbyi that it can with 
some confidence be identified as belonging to that species. 
The specimen represents the basal portion of a frond. This is evident from the 
decrease in size of the pinnae towards the base and is shown also in the remarkable 
stoutness of the rachis in respect to the size of the pinnae. The latter are linear in 
shape and are attached to the rachis at a fairly wide angle, but not a right angle. 
The pinnules are deeply dissected into fine linear segments. In the enlarged figure, 
20«, pi. 3, the dissection is seen to be palmate; in other cases the pinnules are longer 
and pinnate, with one to three lateral segments on each side. The ultimate segments 
are more or less wedge-shaped and often show a tendency to bifurcate at their 
