GLOSSOPTERIS (tongued-leaf fern). Lign. 14.— Leaves, simple, sub-lanceolate, gradually contracting towards the base; midrib thick at the base, and vanishing towards the apex of the leaf; veins very fine, curved, oblique, frequently dichotomous, sometimes reticulated, or anastomosing at their base. The plants of this genus resemble the ferns with simple leaves. A few species only are known; of these two are from the coal-shale, one from the lias, and one from the oolite.

LIGN. 15.

ODONTOPTERIS SCHLOTHEIMII.
Coal-shale of Saxony.

ODONTOPTERIS (toothed-leaf fern). Leaf bipinnate, the leaflets adhering to the rachis by their base, which is not contracted: the veins equal, simple, dichotomous, arising from the rachis; no distinct mid-rib. In their general aspect these plants resemble some South American species of Osmunda. Five species only are known, all of which belong to the most ancient coal strata.

ANOMOPTERIS (anomalous-fern-so named from the plants differing from both recent and fossil ferns). Leaves deeply pinnated; leaflets very long, entire, linear, traversed by a distinct midrib, equal throughout; secondary veins simple, perpendicular to the

But

LIGN. 16.

2

ANOMOPTERIS MOUGEOTII.

New Red Sandstone, at Sulz-les-bains, near Strasburgh.

Fig. 1.-Three leaflets.

2. A portion magnified to show the fructification.

median vein, swoln at their free extremities, and

one species is known. These leaves are of great

not extending to the margin of the leaflet.

size, and doubtless belonged to some arborescent fern; in several examples the fructification is preserved. My collection contained a splendid specimen, collected by the late M. Voltz, from the above locality, with other plants (Wond. p. 685.), which are now in the British Museum.

TONIOPTERIS (wreathed fern). Leaves simple, entire, straight, with parallel margins, traversed by a strong midrib, which extends to the apex; secondary veins, simple or bifurcated at their base, and almost perpendicular to the median vein. These ferns closely resemble some species of Polypodium. Three species are known; two from the oolite, and one from a tertiary deposit. The specimen figured is a fragment.

PECOPTERIS (embroidered fern). Leaves once, twice, or thrice pinnated; leaflets adhering by their base to the rachis, or rarely free; traversed by a strong midrib, which extends to the apex; veins simple, or once or twice dichotomous, almost perpendicular to the median vein. This genus embraces by far the largest proportion of the ferns which have contributed to the formation of the coal, and

LIGN. 18. Fig. 1.—PECOPTERIS MURRAYANA; a pinnule with the fructification. Inf. Oolite, Scarborough.

2. PECOPTERIS LONCHITICA. Coal-shale, France.

whose leaves and stems are preserved in the associated strata. The originals of many species were undoubtedly arborescent, and attained a large size. Some leaves have been observed which were four feet wide, and of a proportionate length. More than one hundred species have been determined. An American species is figured in illustration of certain botanical terms (Lign. 9.).

LONCHOPTERIS (spear-leafed fern).-Leaves many times pinnated; leaflets more or less adherent to each other at their base, traversed by a midrib ;

Fig. 1.-A leaflet, highly magnified, to show the reticu-
lation of the veins.

2.-Two leaflets magnified.

secondary veins reticulated. The three species composing this genus resemble the living ferns of the genera Lonchitis, Woodwardia, &c. Two have been found in the coal-measures, and the other discovered in the strata of Tilgate Forest. (Foss. Til. For. pl. 3. Wond. p. 371.) This last appears to have been a delicate plant; for, although indications of its presence are very general throughout the fine micaceous grits, and even the clays of the Wealden,