1050 
DE. HEEE ON THE FOSSIL FLOEA OF BOVET TEACET. 
rhizomes probably lay horizontally on the earth, and the leaves arched upwards, as we 
see in existing ferns. 
The steins, and the petioles which cover them, are converted into coal ; therefore a 
microscopic examination is not possible. The considerable thickness of the organs 
surrounding and covering the stems shows us that they are petioles, and not leaves. 
Though they are very much compressed, the thickness of the mass of coal is nearly 
always several millims. 
The large specimens remind us directly of the pinnated leaves of palms (Plate LVIll.). 
On examining them minutely, we see that the supposed pinnules are not fastened in two 
rows on the rachis, but that they are placed around it spirally ; therefore they cannot be 
pinnules of leaves ; they are organs fastened on a stem ; and as they are tapered at the 
base, and inserted on the stem with a tapering but not sheathing base, they cannot at 
all events be the leaves of a monocotyledonous plant. The leaves of ferns are inserted • 
in that manner on the stem, and taper also sometimes towards the base. In most of 
the Aspidieae, Aspleniese, and Cyatheoe the petioles are continuous with the stem ; 
they remain after the withering of the leaves, and form a thick and dense cover over 
the rhizome, as they do in the Bovey plant. It is remarkable that roots are seldom seen 
on these rhizomes ; but in several specimens thread-like bodies can be seen between 
them, which probably were fibrils ; and there are, further, some specimens which indi- 
cate that the numerous fine undulated striae, which at some places are lying in heaps, 
are probably hairy scales which have covered the petioles. 
The largest specimen is decim. long and 2 decim. broad. It is pretty strongly 
curved. The petioles are lying in heaps one upon another, and therefore must have 
covered the stem. In some specimens the stem is denuded here and there. It is quite 
converted into coal, and it is therefore as impossible to examine its anatomical structure 
as that of the petioles. These are of a considerable length, and always irregularly 
broken ; their length therefore varies. I have collected great numbers of specimens at 
Bovey, and hoped to have been able to find the connexion of the petioles with the 
pinnules of Pecopteris. but was unsuccessful, though these rhizomes are in heaps in 
the 25th bed. The petioles gradually taper towards the base, which is rounded ; they 
never sheath. Many specimens distinctly show that the petioles are not distichous, 
but are imbricated all round the stem. They are compressed, but the edges are 
defined. 
At the same place there are portions of rhizomes provided with the cicatricules of 
roots (Plate LVIll. fig. 3). These are orbicular, 3 millims. in diameter, and consist of 
an elevated margin, surrounded by an orbicular depression, or, instead of this, they pre- 
sent a central wart, evidently originating from the central fibre. They are in pretty 
large numbers together, without being ranged in fixed order. The stems of living ferns 
have similar cicatricules of roots. The Stigmaria X of Altsattel, according to Eossmass- 
LEE *, probably represents also a portion of the stem of a fern with the cicatricules. 
* Beitrage zur Versteiaerungskunde, pi. 12. fig. 58. 
