Feb., 1889 
STIGMARIA. 
25 
NOTE ON FURTHER DISCOVERIES OF STIGMARIA 
(? FICOIDES) AND THEIR BEARING UPON THE 
QUESTION OF THE FORMATION OF COAL-BEDS. 
BY W. S. GRESLEY, F.G.S., M.E. 
(a) In the first place it will be well to point out very 
briefly the present state, as far as I know it, of the controversy 
regarding this fossil plant, namely :—Was it always part 
of a plant— a root of a tree; or, was it only sometimes a 
root, and also sometimes an individual plant? That it was 
never a plant sui generis is the opinion very decidedly held by 
our greatest authority on the subject, namely, Professor 
Williamson, F.R.S. Mr. Carruthers, F.R.S., also rejects the 
opinion that an individual plant is sometimes represented in 
this fossil. From the writings of Sir W. Dawson, F.R.S., I 
gather that be believes only in the tree-root idea. 
On the other band, we have Prof. Leo Lesquereux, in 
America, whose opinion, after forty years of exploration of 
the coal measures for fossils, is that Stigmaria lias not the 
structure of a root, and lived more as a creeping stem—an 
individual plant—than as a root of a tree. In France, 
M. H. Fayol and other savants, uphold much the same 
opinions as Lesquereux. 
Basing my own conclusions upon certain fossils which I 
am about to describe, and from other considerations, I am 
compelled to hold much the same opinions as those held in 
America, France, &c. 
[b) The true or complete character of Stigmaria then, 
being, in my opinion, still open to question, perhaps some 
additional light may be thrown upon the matter by making 
References to Plate II. 
Figure 1, 1a. —Sketches of specimen of a Stigmaria in the British 
Museum (Natural History Department), South Kensington. No. 
10,430, in Case No. 31, in Palaeontological Plant Collection. About £ 
natural size. 
Figure 2.— Stigmaria from out of the “Eureka’’Coal-seam, Newhall 
Park Colliery, Leicestershire Coal-field. £ natural size. 
Figure 3.—Stigmaria outof the “ Little Flint ” Coal-seam, Madeley, 
Salop. (Coalbrookdale Coal-field.) ^ natural size. 
Figure 4.—End view of Stigmaria from out of the “ Top Hard ” 
Coal-seam. Glapwell Colliery, Derbyshire. J natural size. 
Figure 5.—Side view of Stigmaria from out of the “Little Flint” 
Coal, Coalbrookdale Coal-field. J natural size. 
Figure 6.—Stigmaria do. do. J natural size. 
Figure 7.—Stigmaria (in 11 fragments) from the “ Top Hard ” Coal- 
seam, Glapwell Colliery, Derbyshire. | natural size. 
