This is a preliminary report and outline of the forms to be included in a comprehensive study of various spores and pollen grains from Carboniferous fructi- fications. A large number of reproductive structures containing spores and pollen, representative of lycopods, articulates, various ferns and fern-like plants, and early seed plants including seed ferns, cordaites, and a possible representative of the Cycadales, are available from North American petrifactions and compressions. Nu- merous contributions have appeared elucidating the basic structural features of these fertile parts. In comparison, however, the pollen and spores which these reproduc- tive structures contain have received relatively little attention. The scanning electron microscope provides an ideal instrument that can be used to supplement the gross features as seen with the compound light microscope, and to determine the sub- light microscopic features of these grains. Furthermore, the scanning electron micro- scope provides important new information of several types. A large number of Carboniferous reproductive structures of diverse types containing spores and pollen grains, have been discovered and described since the onset of paleobotanical studies in North America. Due to extensive collection and mass cutting of coal ball petrifactions from various localities in the United States, a relatively complete representation of many genera of fructifications containing spores and pollen is now available for study utilizing the scanning electron microscope (SEM). In addition, numerous genera of fructifications, preserved primarily as compressions, are also available, so that the current study will include the vast majority of fructifications produced by Carboniferous age vascular plants from North America. Furthermore, the fructifications in- cluded within the present study represent almost all of the major groups of vascular plants that were in existence in Carboniferous time in North America and most other geographic regions of the northern hemisphere. Reproductive structures included within this study are presented in Table I. Dispersed spores and pollen grains found in Carboniferous rocks, especially coals, have received a great deal of attention both for paleontological and geological reasons, while the spores found in fructifications of known biological affinities have received little attention in comparison. This is primarily due to the rarity of such fructifications and the general absence of a biological orientation in much of the palynological literature. This paper represents a preliminary survey of the kinds of fructifications and the major types of informa- tion that may be obtained concerning their spores and pollen utilizing the principle of scanning electron optics. To emphasize the unique value and the nature of the information obtainable with the SEM, conventional light-photo- micrographs are included for comparison. The present study will emphasize: