Abstract: The anatomical characters of the rachis of Compsopteris elliptica ex Yang et Chen are described from the calc-petrified specimens of the Late Permian of Panxing, Guizhou, China. The main characters of its rachis are as follows (Plate I, 1–4; 6–9): The vascular bundles of 2– 2.5 cycles and ectophloic type. Phloem, consisting of 1–2 layers of cells. Protoxylem, composed of several small tracheids which are less than 20μm in diameter. Metaxylem, consisting of 2–3 layers of tracheids, about 30μm in diameter, scalariform thickenning. The sclerenchyma zone lies between the vascular bundles, its cell, small, 20–25 μm in diameter, some containing brown substances. The cortex could be divided into two zones: outer zone, consisting of thin-walled cells, and inner zone, thicken-walled cells, with secretory cavities. Epidermis, one layer, rectangular, some with contents. Compsopteris sp. (Plate I,5) 3–4 cycles vascular bundles, the same as C. elliptica in many respects; only larger than C. ellipptica in diameter. It may represent the base part of the rachis or larger rachis. Based on the shape of vascular bundles and the structure of xylem and phloem, Compsopteris is very similar to Angiopteris, Danaea etc., which all belong to the Marattiales. In addition, Huang et al. (1989) found that the sporangia of Compsopteris is similar to that of Danaeites, which belongs to the Maratriales. Therefore, Compsopteris doer not belong to the seed fern, bur the Marattiales.

Key words: Compsopteris, the internal anatomy of the rachis, Marattiales