XVII.—On the Fossil Flora of the Radstock Series of the Somerset and Bristol Coal Field (Upper Coal Measures)

Robert Kidston

doi:10.1017/S0080456800028003

XVII.—On the Fossil Flora of the Radstock Series of the Somerset and Bristol Coal Field (Upper Coal Measures)

Published online by Cambridge University Press: 06 July 2012

Robert Kidston

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My attention for the last few years having been specially directed to the vertical distribution of the Carboniferous Fossil Flora, it is my intention to publish a series of papers dealing with this subject.

While carrying on these investigations it has been necessary, in addition to visiting public and private collections, to visit several of the coal fields for the purpose of collecting specimens, as in almost no case have the smaller and less attractive species been secured, and, as a rule, only what strikes the ordinary collector as being “a fine specimen” is preserved, to the exclusion of many less striking but often more valuable examples. Hence our public collections, and, with few exceptions, also our private collections, give a very imperfect idea of the richness of the flora of the Carboniferous Formation of Britain.

Type: Research Article
Information: Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 33 , Issue 2 , April 1888 , pp. 335 - 417

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1017/S0080456800028003 [Opens in a new window]
Copyright: Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1888

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^{page 338 note *} Those wishing fuller information on the geology of the Somerset and Bristol Coal Field will find it contained in the following papers and works:—Rev. Prof. W. Buckland and Rev. Conybeare, W. D., “Observations on the South-Western Coal District of England,” Trans. Geol. Soc., ser. 2, vol. i. p. 210;Google ScholarGreenwell, G. C., “Notes on the Coal Field of East Somerset,” Trans. N. of Eng. Inst. of Mining Eng., vol. ii. p. 258;Google ScholarGreenwell, G. C., “On the Southern Portion of the Somerset Coal Fields,” Trans. S. Wales Inst. of Eng., vol. i. p. 147;Google ScholarCossham, H., “On the Northern End of the Bristol Coal Field,” Trans. N. of Eng. Inst. of Mining Eng., vol. x. p. 97;Google ScholarGreenwell, G. C., “On the Somersetshire Sections of the Bristol Coal Field,” Trans. N. of Eng. Inst. Mining Eng., vol. x. p. 104;Google Scholar G. C. Greenwell and J. M'Murtrie, The Radstoch Portion of the Somerset Coal Field, 1864, 8vo, Newcastle-on-Tyne; Etheridge, R., “On the Physical Structure of the Northern Part of the Bristol Coal Basin,” Proc. Cottsw. Nat. Field Club, vol. iv. p. 28;Google ScholarMoore, C., “On Abnormal Conditions of Secondary Deposits where connected with the Somersetshire and South Wales Coal Basin, &c,” Quart. Journ. Geol. Soc., vol. xxxiii. p. 449;Google ScholarM'Murtrie, J., “On the Carboniferous Strata of Somersetshire,” Proc. Bath Nat. Hist, and Antiq. Field Club, vol. i. No. 2, p. 45;Google Scholar J. M'Murtrie, “The Faults and Contortions of the Somersetshire Coal Field,” ibid., vol. i. No. 3, p. 127; Report of the Commissioners appointed to inquire into the several matters relating to Coal in the United Kingdom, vol. i, 1871; Anstie, John, The Coal Fields of Gloucestershire and Somersetshire and their Resources, 8vo, London, 1873;Google ScholarM'Murtrie, J., “The Geographical Position of the Carboniferous Formation in Somersetshire, &c,” Proc Bath Nat. Hist, and Antiq. Field Club, vol. ii. p. 454;Google Scholar J. M'Murtrie, “Notes on the Physical Geology of the Carboniferous Strata of Somersetshire and associated Formations,” Somerset Arch, and Nat. Hist. Soc., 1875; M'Murtrie, J., “The Somersetshire Coal Fields, and the Method of working thin Seams in the Radstock District,” Proc. S. Wales Inst. of Eng., vol. xii. No. 5, p. 424;Google ScholarWoodward, H. B., Memoirs of the Geological Survey, Geology of East Somerset and the Bristol Coal Fields, 1876Google Scholar.

^{page 340 note *} Abhandl. z. geol. special-karte v. Preussen u. Thuringischen Staaten, Band v. part ii.

^{page 344 note *} Zeitsch. d. deut. geol. Gesell., 1882, p. 685Google Scholar.

^{page 344 note †} Loc. cit., p. 685.

^{page 346 note *} Vers. d. Rothliegenden in Sachsen, p. 9, pl. ii. figs. 3, 4, 5.

^{page 346 note †} Die Carbon Flora der Schatzlarer Schichten, p. 257, pl. xxxi. fig. 5, 1885Google Scholar.

^{page 347 note *} Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, pl. xxiv. fig. 13.

^{page 347 note †} Carbon-Flora d. Schatzlarer Schichten, p. 304, 1885Google Scholar.

^{page 347 note ‡} Loc. cit., p. 27.

^{page 348 note *} Bull, de la soc. géol. de France, 3 sér., vol. xii. p. 194, 1883Google Scholar

^{page 348 note †} See Kidston, Catal. Palæoz. Plants, p. 78.

^{page 348 note ‡} Carbon-Flora, p. 375 (Diplothmema macilentum).

^{page 349 note *} Syst.fil. foss., p. 242, pl. xxxvi. figs. 1, 2. See also Stur, Sphenopteris (Saccopteris) grypophylla Carbon-Flora, p. 176, pl. liii. figs. 3, 4, 5.

^{page 349 note †} Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsem, p. 16, pl. xxiv. fig. 3.

^{page 350 note *} Bauer and Hooker, Genera Filicum, or Illustrations of the Ferns and their other Allied Genera, table viii. figs. 2, 3.

^{page 351 note *} Schizostachys frondosus; on his pl. xvii. fig. 3, named Androstachys frondosus.

^{page 351 note †} Cours d. botan. foss., Troisième Année, 1883, p. 103Google Scholar.

^{page 352 note *} Loc. cit., p. 102.

^{page 352 note †} Die Steinkohlenflora von Radnitz, p. 34, pl. xix, fig. 3.

^{page 353 note *} Traité d. paléont. végét., vol. i. p. 424 (Adiantides).

^{page 353 note †} Vers. de. Steink. v. Wettin u. Löbejun, fasc. l, p. 5, pl. ii.

^{page 356 note *} Hist. d. végét. foss., p. 229, pl. lxiv. fig. 5.

^{page 358 note *} Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., vol. iii. p. 424, 1847Google Scholar.

^{page 358 note †} In Roger's, Geol. of Pennsyl., vol. ii. part 2, p. 857, 1858Google Scholar.

^{page 358 note ‡} The nervation of Lindley and Hutton's figures is very diagrammatic, and by no means represents the correct nervation of the plant they figure.

^{page 358 note §} Coal Flora of Pennsyl., pp. 88, 89, 91, 1880Google Scholar.

^{page 358 note ∥} Pl. xi. fig. 1.

^{page 359 note *} The true Neuropteris cordata has not yet, as far as I am aware, been discovered in Great Britain.

^{page 359 note †} N. plicata, Lesqx., Coal Flora, loc. cit.

^{page 359 note ‡} Vers., i. fase. 4, p. xvi.; ii. p. 74, pl. xix. figs. 1–3.

^{page 360 note *} See Kidston, , Trans. Roy. Soc. Edin., vol. xxxiii. pt. i. p. 150, 1887Google Scholar.

^{page 360 note †} Flora foss. Helvetiæ, p. 20, pls. ii. figs. 1–7; iii. 1–5;.iv. 7–13; v. 2, 3.

^{page 360 note ‡} Palæontographica, vol. ix. p. 28, pl. vi. fig. 1.

^{page 361 note *} Flora foss. Helvetiæ, p. 17, pl. vi. fig. 7.

^{page 362 note *} Bull. soc. geol. de France, 3^e sér., vol. xii. p. 197Google Scholar.

^{page 366 note *} Stur, , Sitzb. d. k. Akad. d. Wissensch., vol. lxxxviii. Abth. i. p. 750, fig. 25, 1883Google Scholar.

^{page 369 note *} Perm. or Upper Carb. Flora, p. 83, pl. xxx. fig. 1.

^{page 369 note †} Pecopteris lanceolata, Lesqx., Coal Flora of Pennsyl., p. 227, pl. xxxix. figs. 9, 10 = Alethopteris lanceolata, Lesqx., Geol. Rep. of Illin., vol. iv. p. 398, pl. xiii. figs. 1–3.

^{page 369 note ‡} Hist. d. végét, foss., pl. lxxxiii. fig. 2.

^{page 369 note §} Foss. Flora d. jüngst. Stk. u. d. Rothl., pls. ix., x. figs. 7, 8.

^{page 369 note ∥} Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc., vol. ii. p. 86, pl. vi., 1846Google Scholar.

^{page 370 note *} See Zeiller, , Végét. foss. d. terr. houil., p. 93, pl. clxvi. figs. 5, 6.Google Scholar

^{page 370 note †} See PI. XXVII. figs. 3, 4.

^{page 370 note ‡} See Zeiller, , “Notes sur la flore houillère des Asturies,” Mem. Soc. Géol. du Nord, 1882, p. 12Google Scholar.

^{page 370 note; §} Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, pl. xxix. figs. 6–8.

^{page 372 note *} Coal Flora of Pennsyl., p. 244.

^{page 372 note †} Fossil Flora, vol. iii. pl. ccxxiii.

^{page 372 note ‡} Carbon-Flora d. Schatzlarer-Schichten, p. 120, pl. lvii. fig. 1; pl. lviii. figs. 1–4.

^{page 373 note *} Vers. de Steinkf. in Sachsen, pl. xxxii. figs. 1–5.

^{page 374 note *} I am very doubtful if the following species referred by Stur to Pec. Miltoni should be so included:—Asplenites heterophyllus, Göpp.; Aspl. crispus, Göpp.; Baluntites Martii, Göpp. The following, also included by the same author, appear to me to have no connection with Pec. Miltoni:—Adiantites giganteus, Göpp.; Cyclopteris obliqua, L. & H.; Schizopteris lactuca, Roehl. (Foss. Flora Westph., pl. xviii.); and Cyclop. oblata, L. & H.

^{page 374 note †} Geinitz, loc. cit.; Germar, loc. cit.; Sterzel, loc. cit.

^{page 375 note *} See Zeiller, Mem. Soc. Géol. du Nord, loc. cit.

^{page 375 note †} Traité d. paléont. végét., vol. i. p. 546.

^{page 375 note ‡} That this so-called Pec. villosa is in reality the Pec. Miltoni ( = Pec. abbreviata, Brongt.) will, I think, be admitted by all who have studied the subject.

^{page 376 note *} Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 27, pl. xxx. figs. 5-8; pl. xxxi. figs. 1–4.

^{page 376 note †} Zeiller, Notes sur la flore houillère des Asturies, p. 13. I may remark in passing, that in England Pec. polymorpha and Pec. Miltoni (including Pec. abbreviata) occur on the same horizon.

^{page 377 note *} Flore foss. du Bassin houil. d. Valenciennes, pl. xxiv.

^{page 377 note †} Loc. cit., pl. xxiv. figs. 3, 4, 4a, 4b.

^{page 377 note ‡} These are also present on most of the pinnæ of the specimen from which fig. 1 was taken.

^{page 378 note *} In Dames, and Kayser, , Palæontologische Abhandl, vol. iii. Heft. 4, p. 237, Berlin, 1886Google Scholar.

^{page 379 note *} Catalogue of Palæoz. Plants, p. 121. In the remarks here appended to Pec. Miltoni I have inadvertently referred to H. pulcherrima as Hawlea “elegans.” I have also (p. 256) referred A. aquilina, Geinitz, Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, pl. xxxi. figs. 5–7, to Pec. Miltoni. I still think it probable that his figures 6, 7 are referable to this species, but am more doubtful about his figure 5. They are therefore omitted meantime from the synonymy of Pec. Miltoni, Artis, sp.

^{page 379 note †} I am indebted to Dr Woodwart, F.R.S., for permission to describe this specimen.

^{page 379 note ‡} Loc. cit., p. 106, fig. 17.

^{page 379 note §} Loc. cit., pl. xxiv. figs. 3, 4.

^{page 381 note *} Vers. d. Zwick. Schwarzkohl, p. 61.

^{page 381 note †} Vers. d. Zechst. u. Rothl., pl. v. figs. 3, 4.

^{page 382 note *} Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 26.

^{page 382 note †} Carbon-Flora.

^{page 382 note ‡} Syst.fil. foss., p. 346, pls. xxvii. and xxxix. fig. 1.

^{page 382 note §} Lindley and Hutton, vol. i. pl. xxxix.; vol. ii. pls. c. ci.

^{page 383 note *} Syst. fil. foss., p. 375, pl. xxix. figs. 1–4.

^{page 383 note †} Ann. d. sc. nat. Bot., 6^e sér., vol. xvi. p. 184, pl. ix. figs. 12–15.

^{page 384 note *} Botanisches Centralblatt and Zeitsch. d. deut. geol. Gesell.

^{page 386 note *} Carbon-Flora, p. 223, pl. lxi. fig. 2.

^{page 386 note †} Vers. d. Steinkf. in Sachsen, p. 27, pl. xxxi. figs. 5–7.

^{page 388 note *} This specimen is probably from the neighbourhood of Pucklechurch—not actually from the village of that name, and therefore most likely from a bed on the horizon of the Farrington Series, i.e., the coal-producing series immediately below the Radstock Series.

^{page 391 note *} “Note sur quelques troncs de Fougères fossiles,” Bull. soc. géol. d. France, 3^e sér., vol. iii. p. 574, 1874–1875Google Scholar.

^{page 391 note †} p. 84.

^{page 391 note ‡} Loc. cit., p. 84.

^{page 391 note §} Flora protogæa, p. 76.

^{page 391 note ∥} Bull. soc. géol d. France, 3^e sér., vol. xii. p. 203, 1883Google Scholar.

^{page 391 note ¶} Bull. soc. géol. d. France, 3^e sér., vol. iii. pl. xvii. fig. 4. This is named on the plate Caulopteris peltigera, Brongt., sp. (?), but has since been described as a new species by Grand' Eury under the name of Caulopteris patria. See also Zeiller, Végét. foss. d. terr. houil., p. 100; and Grand' Eury, Flore carbon. du Départ. de la Loire, p. 87.

^{page 393 note *} Flore carbon. d. Départ, de la Loire, p. 85.

^{page 393 note †} In Archiv d. naturw. Landesdurchforschung v. Böhmen, iv. Band Nr. 6, Geolog. Abth., Prag, 1881Google Scholar.

^{page 395 note *} Coal Flora of Pennsyl., pl. lxix. fig. 33.

^{page 396 note *} I hope presently to publish my reasons for still retaining these Ulodendroid-Lycopods in Sigillaria, a position which some botanists are not inclined to accord them.—May 1887.

^{page 396 note †} Foss. Flora, vol. i. pl. xliii. figs. 1, 2.

^{page 397 note *} Weiss, Foss Flora d.jüngst. Sth. u. d. Rothl., p. 160.

^{page 397 note †} Goldenberg, , Flora Saræpontana fossilis, Heft ii. p. 22,Google Scholar pl. vi. figs. 1–4.

^{page 398 note *} Traité d. paléont. végét., vol. ii. p. 81.

^{page 398 note †} Zeiller, , Ann. d. sc. nat. Bot, 6^e sér., vol. xix. p. 275Google Scholar.

^{page 400 note *} Coal Flora of Pennsyl., vol. iii. p. 825, pl. cxi. fig. 23; Zeiller, Flore foss. du Bassin houil. de Valenciennes, pl. xciv. fig. 18.

^{page 401 note *} Weiss, Foss. Flora d.jüngst Stk. u. d. Rothl., p. 204, pl. xviii. figs. 22, 23. See also Bennie and Kidston, Proc. Roy. Phys. Soc. Edin., vol. ix. p. 82, “On the Occurrence of Spores in the Carboniferous Formation of Scotland.”

^{page 405 note *} Compiled from Geinitz, Foss. Flora d. Steinkf. in Sachsen.

^{page 405 note †} Weiss, Foss. Flora d. jüngst. Stk. u. d. Rothl., p. 237.

^{page 408 note *} It may be well to note here the probable equivalents of the French and British Carboniferous Rocks:—

^{page 408 note †} The Atlas of Plates only has been issued.

^{page 411 note *} = Diplothmema acutilobum, Zeiller, , Ann. d. sci. nat. Bot., 6^e sér., vol. xvi. pl. xiGoogle Scholar. fig. 2; see also Flore foss. d. Bassin houil. d. Valenciennes, pl. xv. fig. 5.

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XVII.—On the Fossil Flora of the Radstock Series of the Somerset and Bristol Coal Field (Upper Coal Measures)

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