288 PALEOBOTANY [BoT. Absts., Vol. VII, 



open and partly forested. The land stood 400 to 500 feet higher than now and the sea was 

 some distance away. Sixty-four per cent of the forms are exotic or extinct, and 31 per cent are 

 Chinese or North American. Two species of Crataegus, one of Potentilla, and one each of 

 Rhus, Ilex, and Melissa are described as new. — E. W. Berry. 



2013. Reid, E. M. a comparative review of Pliocene floras, based on the study of fossil 

 seeds. Quart. Jour. Geol. Soc. London 76: 145-161. 1920. — Amplifying a previously ex- 

 pressed theory the author adds weight to the conception that late Tertiary times witnessed 

 the existence and gradual extinction in western Europe of the Tertiary Holarctic flora, or one 

 closely allied to that still existing in the uplands of North America and eastern Asia. It 

 was only in these two regions that the Pliocene flora was enabled to survive glaciation because 

 of the absence of barriers to their southward retreat and subsequent northward advance. 

 Gradual refrigeration of the climate during the Pliocene is an essential part of the picture. — 

 By taking accurately determined seeds from the fossil floras known as the Pont-de-Gail, 

 Reuverian, Castle Eden, Teglian and Cromerian, and determining the percentages of exotic 

 and extinct species and the percentages of Chinese and North American forms the author 

 plotted a curve which is regular both for the exotic element and for the North American- 

 Chinese part. According to this method the Pont-de-Gail (Cantal) and Reuverian (Dutch- 

 Prussian border) floras are Lower Pliocene; the Castle Eden (Durham) flora is Middle 

 Pliocene ; the Teglian (Dutch) flora is lower Upper Pliocene and the Cromerian (S. E. England) 

 flora is uppermost Pliocene. Lists of species for each are given. — E. W. Berry. 



2014. Seward, A. C. The oldest land-vegetation. Scientia 28: 157-164. Sept., 1920.— 

 A general sketch with especial mention of the Devonian plants Rhynia, Hornea, and Asteroxy- 

 lon described recently by Kidston and Lang, and a brief account of Church's speculation on 

 the origin of land plants. — E. W. Berry. 



2015. Seward, A. C, and A. Sahni. Indian Gondwana plants: A revision. Mem. Geol, 

 Surv. India N. S., 7': 1-54. PI. 1-7. 1920.— An account of a restudy of old collections from 

 various horizons in the Gondwana beds of India. From the lower Gondwana, of Permo- 

 Carboniferous age, 16 plants are described. These are all old forms with the exception of a 

 new species of Samaropsis, but several taxonomic changes are suggested: Noeggerathiopsis is 

 definitely referred to Cordaites; the new genus Buridia is proposed for a form which Feist- 

 mantel described as Voltzia; a probable Araucaria, which was described by Zeiller as Frau- 

 carites, is made the basis of the new genus Morania; and the new genus Barakaria, of unas- 

 signed affinity, is erected for what Feistmantel called Cyclopitys dichotoma. Thirty-one 

 plants are recorded from various horizons of the upper Gondwana, of Jurassic age. These 

 comprise Lycopodiales 1, Filicales 3, Cycadophytes 15, Ginkgoales 2, Araucariaceae 3, Tax- 

 aceae 1, and 6 conifers of uncertain relationship. A variety of Otozamiles and a species of 

 Nilsonia are described as new, and Cycadites constrictus Feistmantel is transferred to the 

 genus Torreyites. Several epidermal and stomatal preparations are described, many of the 

 old types are illustrated by new and better figures, and several are figured for the first time. — 

 E. W. Berry. 



2016. Stopes, Marie C. Bennettites Scottii, sp. nov., a European petrifaction with foliage. 

 Jour. Linn. Soc. London Bot. 44:483-496. PI. 19-20, fig. 1-4. 1920.— A description of a 

 small and very young specimen of Bennettites with fairly well preserved bud-leaves. Three 

 types of ramenta occur on these leaves. No fruit is present. There is evidence that the 

 specimen is a "sproutling." It is described as B. Scottii. — A. J. Eames. 



