Knowledge of Rachiopteris cylindrica , Will 555 
stems or roots of a Fern, or that they might represent some dwarf Lycopod 
type ; that he personally regarded them as parts of a Fern is indicated by 
their inclusion in the provisional genus Rachiopteris - 1 In 1896 Hick 2 
also inclined towards this opinion, which is now accepted without 
question. 
Certain similarities between R. cylindrical R. ramosa , 3 and R. hirsuta 4 
suggest that these Lower Coal Measure species are closely allied ; and 
since Scott 5 has included the two latter in Renault’s genus, Botryopteris 6 — 
instituted for French Permo-Carboniferous types, of which B. forensis is 
the most completely known—several writers 7 consider that R. cylindrica 
should also be added. Scott, 8 however, while admitting a relationship 
between R. cylindrica and Botryopteris spp., retains for the present its 
original name, and suggests that it may be preferable to institute a new 
genus for its reception on account of its different habit. 
A consideration of structural details indicates that Botryopteris antiqua , 
a species occurring in the Calciferous Sandstone of Pettycur, 9 and also, 
apparently, in the Culm of Esnost, near Autun, 10 is, of known types, the 
most nearly allied to Rachiopteris cylindrica , at least so far as the behaviour 
of the foliar trace 11 is concerned. There is also evidence that, in this 
respect, R. cylindrica represents a transition stage between B. antiqua on 
the one hand and B. ramosa and B. hirsuta on the other. 
According to Gordon 12 and to Benson, 13 the petiolar trace in B. antiqtia 
1 Williamson, W. C. : On the Organization of the Fossil Plants of the Coal Measures. VI. 
Ferns. Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., B, vol. 164, 1874, p. 675. See p. 677. 
2 1. c., p. 14. 
3 Williamson, W. C. : On the Organization of the Fossil Plants of the Coal Measures. XVIII. 
Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., B, vol. 182, 1891, p. 255. See p. 261. 
4 Williamson, W. C. : On the Organization of the Fossil Plants of the Coal Measures. XV. 
Phil. Trans. Roy. Soc., B., vol. 180, 1889, p. 155. See p. 161. 
5 Scott, D. H. : On an English Botryopteris. Report of the British Association Meeting at 
Bristol, 1898, Section K, p. 1050. 
Scott, D. H. : Studies in Fossil Botany. First edition, 1900, p. 291. 
6 Renault, B. : Recherches sur les vegetaux silicifies d’Autun et de St.-Etienne. £tude du 
genre Botryopteris. Ann. des Sci. Nat. (Bot.), ser. vi, t. 1, 1875, p. 220. 
(See also Cours de Botanique Fossile, t. 3, 1883, p. 104; and Bassin Houiller et Permien 
d’Autun et d’Jipinac : Flore Fossile, Pt. II, 1896, p. 33.) 
7 Browne (' 08 ), p. 57 ; Seward (’ 10 ), pp. 438-40. See also Tansley (’ 08 ), p. 14. 
8 Scott (’ 08 ), pp. 333 and 335. 
9 Kidston (’ 08 ). 
Benson, M. : New Observations on Botryopteris antiqua , Kidston. Ann. of Bot., vol. 25, 
1911, p.1045. 
10 Bertrand, C. E., and Cornaille, F. : Les caracteristiques de la trace foliaire botryopteridienne. 
Comptes rendus des Seances de 1 ’Academie des Sciences, t. 150, 1910, p. 1019. See p. 1022. 
Pelourde (’ 10 ), p. 364. 
Bertrand, P.: L’etude anatomique des Fougeres anciennes, et les problemes qu’elle souleve. 
Progfessus Rei Botanicae, vol. 4, J912, p. 182. See p. 232. 
11 In a study of relationships the evidence of the foliar trace appears to be of considerable value. 
See Bertrand (’ 12 ). 
12 1. c. (’10), p. 400. 
13 1. c., p. 1047. 
