2 06 Benson . — Cordaites Felicis , 5 ^. # 02 ;., # Cordaitean Leaf 
Comparison of C. Felicis with Renault’s Species, 
‘ C. PRINCIPALIS ETC. 
Renault . describes and figures six forms under the specific names 
C. tenuistriatus , C. angulosostriatus , C. rhombinervis , 6". crassus, C. lingu- 
latus , and ( 7 . principalis. The two last-named species have been further 
examined by Dr. M. C. Stopes. 1 These forms all differ from C. Wedekindi, 
Felix, and from the new species in having only incomplete partitions 
between the bundles. The horizontally extended strands of cells of the 
leaf parenchyma are thus continuous from one bundle to the next in the 
median horizontal plane of the leaf. Three of the species — C. rhombi- 
nervis, C. lingulatus , and C. tenuistriatus — show much better differentiated 
palisade than occurs in C. Wedekindi or C. Felicis . 
The use of the specific term ‘ Felicis ’ for the new species seems there- 
fore doubly appropriate, as it is obviously much more nearly related to the 
species described by Prof. Felix than to any other described species, and 
possibly both may have to be placed in a new genus when attribution 
to their parent plants is possible. 
That such an end may be achieved in the near future is rendered more 
probable by the announcement of a new genus of Cordaitales on stem 
characters by Messrs. Scott and Maslen in 1910. 2 It may also be worth 
while to put on record that at least ten specimens of the supposed Cordaitean 
seed Mitrospermum compression, Will., 3 occurred in close association with 
the specimens of the Cordaitean leaf described and figured in this paper. 
Diagnosis of Cordaites Felicis, sp. nov. 
Leaf of the general Cordaitean type with numerous parallel collateral 
bundles. Each bundle is surrounded with a well-developed sheath except 
in the thicker, presumably basal, part of the leaf. 
Alternating with the bundles are complete fibrous partitions also 
disposed longitudinally. 
The centripetal elements of the mesarch xylem are better developed 
than the centrifugal, and consist of two or more tracheides with porose 
marking. The centrifugal xylem is more abundant in the thicker parts of 
the leaf and is shown best in the region, presumably basal, where the 
bundles are dividing. Elements similar to the centrifugal wood partially 
line the abaxial part of the bundle sheath, and it is suggested they may 
1 Renault : Cours de Botanique fossile, pp. 90-3 ; with PI. XII, Stopes : loc. cit. 
2 Dr. D. H. Scott and Maslen : Preliminary Note, On Mesoxylon, a new genus of Cordaitales. 
Annals of Botany, vol. xxiv, 1910, p. 236. 
3 Dr. Agnes Arber : On the structure of the Palaeozoic Seed Mitrospermum compressum, Will. 
Annals of Botany, vol. xxiv, 1910, p. 491. 
