New Observations on Botryopteris antiqua, Kidston, 
BY 
MARGARET BENSON, D.Sc., F.L.S. 
Royal Holloway College, University of London. 
With Plates LXXXI-LXXXIII and three Figures in the Text 
Contents. 
I. Introduction. 
II. General Morphology and Range of Variation . 
III. Node and Internode. 
IV. The Leaf-trace and Petiolar Bundle . 
V. The Branching of the Diarch Petiolar Bundle 
VI. The Monarch Petiolar Bundle and Aphlebiae . 
VII. The Root-bearing Zones of the Stem Stele 
VIII. Pseudo-secondary Thickening of the Stem Xylem 
IX. Bearing of the New Observations on the Affinity 
X. Summary . . 
XI. Conclusion and Acknowledgements 
Explanation of Plates. 
of the Genu 
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I. Introduction. 
I N 1908 Dr. Kidston published a short account 1 of a new species of 
Botryopteris from Petty cur, Fife. He gave it the name of Botryopteris 
antiqua. Unfortunately, he had inadequate material for a full description, 
and especially states that * none of the stems yet met with show the 
departure of the leaf-trace from the stele’. 2 
A more abundant supply which was recently collected at Pettycur, 
and has been cut in the Botanical Laboratory at the Royal Holloway 
College, makes it possible to note the range of structure of the various 
organs, and affords, therefore, a better ground for comparison of this early 
species with those of later date. 
Since the publication of Dr. Kidston’s diagnosis, Professor Bertrand 
1 Kidston : On a New Species of Dineuron and Botryopteris from Pettycur, Fife. Trans. Roy. 
Soc.„ Edinburgh, vol. xlvi, Part II, p. 362. 
3 Kidston: loc. cit., p. 363. 
KAnnals of Botany, Vol. XXV. No, C, October, ignd 
