| SECOND GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF PENNSYLVANIA - REPORT OF PROGRESS P. DESCRIPTION OF THE COAL FLORA OF PENNSYLVANIA AND OF THE CARBONIFEROUS FORMATION THROUGHOUT THE UNITED STATES BY LEO LESQUEREUX; ©1879 |
Tables of Contents:
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All Four Volumes: Scans and Webpage ©George Langford III, 2011 |
| Fructifications of Ferns in separate branches and of unknown attribution. | Rachis of Ferns. |
Rhizomas of Ferns. |
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In considering the genus Staphylopteris,
Presl, Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 405, I made the following remark:
"Count Sternberg in his Vers. II, p. 174, defines this genus (Staphylopteris) merely as inflorescence or fructified panicles of Ferns, analagous to those of Botrychium or Aneimia. The only species described by the author as type of his genus, Staphylopteris polybotrya,
from the tertiary of Europe, is represented by a small group of round
sporanges. In the American species here described, the sori have
various forms. But it is convenient to consider them under the same
generic name until their relation to fertile fronds or their true
generic affinity can be ascertained. To this genus, therefore, I refer
all agglomerations of sporanges of various forms, either born upon
separate plants or upon separate segments of a Fern like those of
species of Botrychium, without visible remains of leaves, or whose connection to frond-bearing leaves cannot be traced and is unknown." As the genus of Presl. has been established on a tertiary plant, objection has been made to the use of its name for the description of fructifications of Ferns of a different character and of a different epoch. Acting upon this objection, although I do not know any more now about the true relation of the fruiting fragments which I formerly described as Staphylopteris, I propose this new generic name for the description of Ferns of the coal represented by fructifications whose relation is unknown. |
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SOROCLADUS STELLATUS, Lesqx., Plate XLVIII, Figs. 8-8b.
Staphylopteris stellata, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Arks., II, p. 309, Pl. II, f. 2-2b. Fruiting raceme simply pinnate, thick; branches alternate, short, in right angle, bearing four to five broadly oval or obovate sporanges, sessile and placed star-like around a central flattened axis or receptacle. As seen on the upper branch of the right side of the figure, the sporanges are rather sessile upon the pedicel than placed at its apex, the pedicel being longer and continued under the receptacles. No relation is known to this kind of fructification. Habitat—Male's Coal bank, Arks. |
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SOROCLADUS ASTEROIDES, Lesqx., Plate XLVIII, Figs. 9-9b.
Staphylopteris asteroides, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 406, Pl. XIV, f. 6-7b. Schp., Paleont. veget., III, p. 512. Frond tripinnatifid; ultimate pinnae with a narrow filiform oblique straight rachis, bearing groups of close sporanges, attached in pairs and opposite; sori globular at first, opening, when mature, in five lanceolate laciniae placed star-like on a central round receptacle. The specimen is represented as clearly as it can be seen. The sori, described as round before the maturity, are not seen attached upon branches of the pinnae but on the reverse of the specimen. Their reference to the species is hypothetical. Prof. Schimper considers them as spores of Lepidodendron or of Sigillaria. Their shape is however different from that of spores of Lycopodiaceae and of Sigillariae which, of frequent occurrence in the coal measures, are easily recognized by their form triangular on one side. These are exactly globular, sometimes placed in two parallel rows, three or more on each side, as depending from a destroyed rachis. These fructifications may be compared to those of Aneimia, for the position of the sporanges at least. Habitat--Roof shale of the Coal of Morris, Ill., Mr. Jos. Even. |
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SOROCLADUS SAGITTATUS, Lesqx.. Plate XLVIII, Figs. 10-10b.
Frond bipinnate; divisions
alternate, secondary rachis thick, flexuous, decurrent or curving down
to the main rachis, with alternate short thick lateral branches
enlarged to the point of attachment of the fructifications; capsules
enlarged at the base when open, contracted and narrowing to the obtuse
apex, enclosing two rows of flat and compressed sporanges, seemingly
attached to a medial smooth axis, either simple, or divided at the base
in two opposite vertical branches.Staphylopteris sagittata, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 407, Pl. XIV, f. 3-5. The specimens, though numerous enough, are all fragmentary, the capsules, generally half imbedded into the stone, an often partly seen and therefore appear of different shape. At the top of the pinnae they seem to be still closed; those exposed with the face upwards, as Plate XLVIII, f. 10a and 10b enlarged, have the borders curved inward, slightly covering the sporanges. None of these are seen separated from the capsules. By this arrangement of the sporanges, these fructifications have a marked affinity to those of Ophioglossum or of Struthiopteris, for it is evident that what I call capsule is an involueral folding of pinnules enclosing the spo ranges which appear transversely opened like those of Ophioglossum. The mode of division could not be remarked, however. Habitat—Nodules of Mazon Creek, not rare. Mr. S. S. Strong. |
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Fronds pinnately divided;
pedicels slender, dichotomous, bearing at the apex of the branchlets
oblong, obtuse capsules, enclosing two parallel rows of sporanges. The form of the capsules, oblong, obtuse, rounded, not enlarged at the base, and the slender pedicels, are the essential characters which separate this species from the former. The fragment of the plant, preserved in a soft shale, does not show the internal structure of the sporanges as clearly as the specimens in the ferrugenous nodules. The sporanges are distinctly separated by deep parallel lines, and their surface is convex. The shape of the sporanges relates this species still more than the former to Ophioglossum. Habitat—Roof shale of the Coal of Clinton, Mo., Dr. J. H. Britts. |
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SOROCLADUS WORTHENII, Lesqx.
A whole pinna or frond,
lanceolate in outline, pinnately divided in right angle; pinnce
alternate, sub-linear; pinnules triangular, obtuse, close, marked
merely by groups of four to five large sporanges, globular before
opening, or, when opened, cut into oblanceolate segments placed
starlike, all without any visible points of support; primary rachis
thick, its divisions narrow.Staphylopteris Worthenii, Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 405, Pl. XIV, f. 1, 2. The plant is preserved in a pebble of carbonate of iron where its impression is perfectly distinct. The primary rachis is eight millimeters broad at its base, smooth and flat by compression. The lateral pinnae are attached to the borders, sometimes inside of them upon the rachis; the pinnules, three millimeters long and as broad at base, appear as mere agglomerations of sori without trace of support, globular before opening, or when opened, cut into oblanceolate obtuse lobes, placed around a small central receptacle. Even with the specimen on hand, it is not possible to have an exact idea of the relation of the sporanges to the pinnae as no trace of a pedicel can be seen. They appear as sessile upon the secondary rachis. But from their disposition in regular groups of a triangular outline, they were probably attached upon pinnules of the same shape whose epidermis has been destroyed by maceration. Habitat—Mazon Creek, communicated by Mr. M. S. Hall. |
| Rachis of Ferns |
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Corda has described a number of generic divisions for fragments of
rachis or stems of Ferns, whose characters have been studied and
recognized in their anatomical structure by cross sections of
silicified specimens. Schimper groups them under the name of Rachiopterides.
As remains of this kind have not as yet been found silicified in the
American coal measures, their internal structure cannot be considered,
and their relation to the generic divisions established by the authors
is unknown. I therefore merely describe a few fragments of these
remains under the generic name of Rachiopteris.
This name has already been admitted by Prof. Dawson for the
descriptions of fragments of the same kind. As they belong to Ferns
probably known from the characters of the leaves, their description is
of little value. The two fragments represented in the Atl., from the
coal measures, have a peculiar interest as indicating the analogy of
the mode of germination and growth of the coal Ferns with that of the
living ones. On his own species, Prof. Dawson remarks that they are
published especially in order to show the existence in the Devonian, of
Ferns whose fronds have been destroyed. Of course, the description of
all the stems or radius of Ferns found barren of leaves in the coal
measures would be a useless task, as few if any of them can be
determined merely from the characters of their surface. Whenever their
identity has been recognized they have been considered and described
with their species. |
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RACHIOPTERIS AFFINIS, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 7.
Fragment of rachis enlarged and chaffy at the base, linear, nearly smooth in the upper part.Stigmarioides affinis, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 455, Pl. XXVII, f. 9. The fragment, seven centimeters long, shows, at its base, part of a rhizoma two centimeters long covered with long hairs or scales, to which is attached the blade or true rachis, one centimeter broad, bearing only a few scattered scales and grooved in the middle, as seen by two parallel distant lines. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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RACHIOPTERIS SELAGO, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 8.
Stigmarioides selago, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV; p. 456, Pl. XXXI, f. 3, 3b. Fragments of a rhizoma gradually enlarging downward, very chaffy, dichotomous; divisions supporting narrow linear smooth rachis. The figure represents exactly part of a creeping rhizoma with stalks of fronds of Ferns coming out from it, as is commonly seen on specimens of living Ferns. One of the stalks is narrowed to the point of attachment, the other is broken; its covered border shows it also to have been broader than the hairy support. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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RACHIOPTERIS PINNATA, Daws, Dev. Plants of N. E., Am.,
Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., 1862, p. 323, Pl. XVII, f. 60. Stipes one and a half centimeters wide or less, unevenly striate, giving off opposite branches which are abruptly broken of at short distance from the stipe. Habitat—Devonian of New York, with all the following species. |
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Very thick stipes, not observed to branch and marked with uneven striae. |
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Stem marked with obscure longitudinal ridges between which are transverse furrows or punctures; greatest diameter one centimeter and a half. |
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Stipes regularly and distinctly striate longitudinally. |
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Stipes smooth, finely striate, and in some specimens with linear ridges scattered over the surface and perhaps marking the position of minute hairs. Largest stem one and a half centimeters in diameter, branching pinnately and dichotomously and terminating in recurred divisions or in long flattened petioles. |
| Rhizomas of Ferns |
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Fragments of rhizomas with surface marked by small round impressions
(tubercles) irregularly disposed and without central vascular points,
base of detached radicles or filaments. The species of this group might be described under the name of Rhizomopteris, Schp., but their relation to Ferns is not ascertained, some of them at least being referable to Lycopodiaceae. Grand'Eury describes under the generic name of Stigmaroipsis rhizoma similar in characters to Stigmaria, and evidently related as roots to Sigillaria or Syringodendron. Their scars are marked with central vascular points. Fragments of the kind described here are extremely rare. As subterranean remains and of a soft texture, they have been soon destroyed by maceration, and a few only have been preserved in the ferruginous concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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STIGMARIOIDES EVENII, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 1.
Stigmaria Evenii, Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., II, p. 448, Pl. XXXIX, f. 9. Surface wrinkled lengthwise; tubercles round, close, irregularly disposed, variable in size, mostly without, some of them with an indistinct vascular scar. The tubercles vary in diameter from one to three millimeters, and their position is very irregular; the largest ones are indistinctly marked with a central vascular point, the smaller have no trace of it. This fragment is not therefore positively referable to Stigmaria. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek, Mr. Jos. Even. |
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STIGMARIOIDES TRUNCATUS, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 2.
Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 453, Pl. XXIX, 4. Fragment of a cylindrical rhizoma, contracted in passing into basilar branches, surface marked at variable distances and irregular distribution by small tubercles, base of rootlets as seen by a few remains attached to the borders. This fragment is related to the former, differing by its smooth surface (not wrinkled), and by the more angular form of the scars. The few remains of rootlets still attached to the borders indicate the nature of this organism. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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STIGMARIOIDES VILLOSUS, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 3.
Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 454, Pl. XXXI, f. 1. Fragment of a tuber, marked on the surface by two kinds of scars, most of them small, close, disposed in spiral, and a few larger ones, formed of two circular parallel rings and a central point. The small scars are about one millimeter in diameter, generally round, angular, somewhat irregularly disposed in spiral order, two millimeters distant. The larger, two only in number, are two millimeters in diameter, similar to scars of Stigmaria, a little smaller. Both kinds of scars may represent the base of rootlets. From the connection of the branch with Pecopteris villosa, Brgt., and from the likeness of the dots of the surface of the fragment to those upon the rachis of the Fern, this organism may be supposed to represent part of a rhizoma of this species, broken near the point of its attachment to the rachis. The spiral distribution of the scars however is not like that of scales or thick hairs of the rhizoma of a Fern. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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STIGMARIOIDES TUBEROSUS, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 4.
Tuber oval in outline, slightly
emarginate at base, contracted in the upper part in passing to a leaf
or smooth rachis, surface irregularly dotted by very small points,
marked in the upper part by a single stigmaroid scar.Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 453, Pl. XXIX, f, 5. This organism may be of the same nature as the former. It is three and a half centimeters long, two and an half broad, inflated or convex, perfectly entire at the base and the sides, contracted to a leaf which appears to join it by a narrow neck. This is broken; the mode of union of both parts is not visible. The upper appendage resembles a fragment of a large leaf of Stigmaria, rather than a petiole, and the leaves of Stigmaria sometimes bear at their extremity tubercular vesicles, about the same size as the one figured. The dotting of the surface however and the round scar under the neck indicate the nature of the organism as that of a tuber, bearing a smooth rhizoma or perhaps the base of a rachis. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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STIGMARIOIDES LINEARIS, Lesqx., Plate LXXV, Fig. 5.
Part of a root or nearly linear
rhizoma, gradually and slightly narrowing from the top to the base,
bearing rootlets in irregular position.Lesqx., Geol. Rept. of Ill., IV, p. 455, Pl. XXXI, f. 2. Evidently part of a root, too regular for a rhizoma of Fern. The fragment, ten centimeters long, one centimeter at the upper broken end, eight millimeters at the base, flat by compression, bears, like Plate LXXV, f. 2, remains of still attached radicles and small round scars left by those which have been detached from it. The radicles somewhat variable in size are at least twice as broad as the scars which are only two millimeters in diameter. They are all tending downward from the axis. Habitat—Concretions of Mazon Creek. |
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