OF THE FOSSIL PLANTS OF THE COAL-MEASURES. 
53 
Burntisland stems are examples either of the genus Asteropliyllites or of Sphenophyllum. 
The absence of leaves in these Scotch specimens renders it impossible at present to deter- 
mine with which of these two genera they ought to be associated. Before attempting 
to ascertain the bearing of these facts upon the question of the systematic position of the 
plants, we must examine some other organs which, I am now satisfied, belonged to 
similar plants. 
The first inquiry which suggests itself is, What are the relations subsisting be- 
tween the stems described in these pages and the numerous fruits that have been 
described and figured by various observers on previous occasions'? In 1853 Dr. Hooker 
published, in the 4 Quarterly Journal of the Geological Society of London,’ vol. x. p. 199, 
a description and figure of a terminal strobilus from Carluke, to which he gave the name 
of Volkmannia Morrissi. Eichwald, in his ‘ Lethaea Rossica,’ tab. xv. fig. 1, figures, 
under the name of Annularia densifolia, a stem with eight verticils of circular nodal 
scars, and with cones given off from each verticil, similar cones having obviously been 
detached from the scars referred to. Geinitz figures, in his 4 Die Steinkohlen-Formation 
in Sachsen,’ under Sternberg’s name of Aster op hy Hi tes rigidus , a fruiting spike ; and in 
tab. xx. figs. 7 & 7 a, a second cone-bearing plant under the name of Sphenophyllum 
emarginatum. Germar, in his 4 Steinkohlen-Gebirges von Wettin und Lobejun,’ tab. vi., 
figures, under the name of Sphenophyllites Schlotheimi , some narrow strobili, about two 
and a half inches long, and attached by short peduncles to the axils of leaves. At tab. 
viii. fig. 6, he figures another fruit-bearing axis, with both lateral and terminal cones, 
under the name of Sphenophyllites angustifolius. In 1867 Mr. Carruthers published, 
in the 4 Journal of Botany ’ for December 1867, a paper 44 On the Structure of the Fruit 
of Catamites, ” describing and figuring under this name some fruits discovered by Mr. 
Binney, to which he gave the name of VolJcmannia JBinneyi. These same fruits were 
further illustrated by Mr. Binney himself, in his 4 Observations on the Structure of 
Fossil Plants found in the Carboniferous Strata,’ plates iv. and v. ; whilst on plate vi. of 
the same publication he figured some other fruits of an allied character. Still later 
(1870) the same observer published, in the 4 Transactions of the Literary and Philo- 
sophical Society of Manchester,’ vol. iv., third series, a 44 Note on the Organs of Fructi- 
fication and foliage of Calamodendron commune (?).” In 1870 I published, in the same 
volume of 4 Transactions,’ a description of 44 A new Form of Calamitean Strobilus from 
the Lancashire Coal-measures and the fifth volume of the same series (1871) contained 
another of my memoirs, 44 On the Organization of Volkmannia DawsoniA In his 
4 Traite de Paleontologie Vegetale,’ Schimper has republished several of the figures to 
which I have referred. To the Volkmannia Binneyi of Carruthers he has given the 
name of Calamostachys Binneyana. . . Such, so far as I am aware, are the chief fruits 
hitherto described that claim to belong to the genus Asteropliyllites or its allies. 
In the great majority of the instances referred to, there is no doubt whatever that the 
fruits belong to the several genera ( Asteropliyllites and Sphenophyllum ) to which they 
are ascribed by their describers, because the leaves of these respective plants are found 
