From S. P. Woodward   5 November 1841

Somerset House

5 November 1841

Dear Sir

As you have turned your attention lately to the Coal Plants I enclose a sketch made about a year ago which gives an idea of the venation of two species – one figured very badly by Mr Lindley, the other not yet published as English but figured in Brongniart’s admirable work– I cannot however see the correctness of his definition of the genus Odontopteris which induced me to scratch these out. It is no doubt a good genus enough but if my two specimens belong to the same species or even genus its definition will need alteration–

Of the specimens in the Society’s cabinet named by Mr Lonsdale. N. o

C.

1. Odontopteris Schlotheimii – is the one in my sketch

2. ------------------------------------ query genus & species.

A.

1. –– –– obtusa.

2. –– –– –– –– (both my “A”)

3. –– –– –– –– a Pecopteris?!

4. –– –– –– –– a Neuropteris?!

5. –– –– –––– ? Not a Fern at all? but agrees best with Mr Lindley’s figure!

B.

1. Otopteris? dubia. The spec. n figured by Mr Lindley I will not vouch for the accuracy of the last but have looked at it very carefully in the “sun-light”. If you have better spec ms or know the species I would feel obliged by a line some day, setting me right–

This was my first attempt at etching & uninstructed wh will I hope be a sufficient apology for its execution–

I rem, Dear Sir, | Yours very truly | S. P. Woodward

Lindley’s ‘Otopteris? dubia’ has I imagine nothing to do with the other species of Otopteris from the Volites – which form a pretty genus widely separated (?) from these coal measure Odontopterides – with wh Göppert has united them– Surely Lindley’s Odontopteris obtusa is not a Fern?

[card with sketches A B C attached - needs phot]

C Odontopteris Schlotheimii Ad. Bron.

A. Odontopteris obtusa (Lonsdale not Lindley)

B. Otopteris? dubia Lindley Knowlbury

Coal measures. Silverdale. Stafford

Please cite as “HENSLOW-314,” in Ɛpsilon: The Correspondence of John Stevens Henslow accessed on 28 March 2024, https://epsilon.ac.uk/view/henslow/letters/letters_314