SOME RECENT AND FOSSIL FAGACEÆ. 433 
close agreement in most species. The epidermal cells may be sinuate or 
straight. In some species the upper epidermis has straight walls, the lower, 
sinuate walls (N. Menciesii), or both surfaces may exhibit sinuations 
CV. procera), or both upper and lower cuticle may consist of straight-walled 
cells (V. Dombeni). The upper epidermis of all the recent species of .Votho- 
fagus lacks stomata. 
DicoryLornyLLum StopEs® Bandulska.—In external form the fossil leaf 
previously described (Bandulska, 1923, p. 244) resembles several species of 
Nothofagus, but this in itself is inconclusive. The cuticular structure, however, 
indicates the close affinity of these leaves. The average diameters of the iso- 
diametric guard cells of D. Stopes are in close agreement with those of 
Nothofagus, and the size of the individual stomata of D. Stopese shows the 
same extreme variability. The fossil form exhibits, too, the thickened poral 
rim and the eutinized “dagger” at the junctions of the guard cells. The 
lower epidermal cells are very slightly sinuate. The upper epidermis consists 
of parenchyma with hair-bases, but one preparation showed two or three 
stomata at one end. 
Fragments of the cuticle of this species differing only in the somewhat 
greater sinuation of its epidermal cells have been isolated recently: from 
„the Bournemouth Beds (Pl. 39. fig. 20). 
The only recorded fossil species from Europe, so far as I am aware, which 
may show affinity with Nothofagus is Fagus pygmea, described by Unger 
(1867) from beds probably of Lower Miocene age at Kumi in Greece. This 
he considers resembles most closely Nothofagus obliqua. He describes it as a 
small ovate-elliptical serrate leaf, and vertainly its external form is like 
Nothofagus, but it has recently been referred by Fritel (1921) to Quercus 
oreadum Sap. The presence of a species of Nothofagus in beds of Eocene 
age in England is therefore of extreme interest. 
II. Tan Genus Faavs. 
Fagus is a genus with a wide distribution, occurring throughout western 
Europe, central and western China, Japan, Asia Minor, and North America. 
Of the species investigated, Fagus sylvatica is spread over western Europe, 
F. Engleriana is found in central China, F. Sieboldii in Japan, F. grandifolia 
is the beech tree of N. America, and F. orientalis that of Transcaucasia, while 
F. sinensis is the common beech of central and western China, and is, by some 
authorities, thought to be synonymous with /. Eingleriana. 
The leaves vary in length from 3 em. to 15 cm., F. sylvatica being the 
largest-leaved species and F. Sieboldii the smallest. The width varies from 
2:0 em. to 10 cm. In shape the leaves are ovate (F. sylvatica), obovate 
(F. orientalis) or oblong (F. Eugleriana), with a base which is rounded or more 
or less tapering (F. orientalis and F. grandifolia) and an apex which is acute 
or acuminate (F. grandifolia, F. Sieboldii). The margin may be faintly 
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