104 The Ottawa Naturalist. [July 



Whittleseya brevifolia, n. sp. 



PI. VII, Fig. 3, 3«. 



Leaf very small and very short, fan-shaped, very broadly 

 triangular, less than one cm. in length, and nearly as broad or 

 broader than long" at the apex, truncate or slightly truncate at the 

 top, and gently convex laterally ; vascular bands narrow, about 20 

 or 25 in number, forking once near the base, or derived simply 

 from the marginal nerve, slightly arched near the lateral margins, 

 crowded, somewhat obscure in the middle portion, more distinct 

 near the apex where each band contracts within the limits ot a very 

 small, short, obtuse tooth. 



The salient features of this species are the somewhat dimin- 

 utive size, the extremely broadly triangular form and the compact- 

 ness of the narrow vascular bands. As shown in the illustration. 

 Fig. 3, the lateral margins, perhaps slightly mechanically 

 contracted in this instance, form nearly a right angle at the base. 

 The characters of the vascular bands and of the teeth are shown 

 in Fig. 3a. The specimen figured is but 7 mm. in length, exclusive 

 of the petiole, and 8 mm. in breadth at the apex. 



Although the species is represented by but a single example 

 in the collection, it appears to be specifically distinct from Whittle- 

 seya desiderata by reason of the abbreviated triangular form and 

 the narrow bands. It is possible, however, that a series of in- 

 termediate phases may be discovered, which will prove this form 

 to lie within the limits of individual variation in the leaves of the 

 latter species. In the absence of such forms it cannot at present 

 be safely included in the same species. As compared with Whit- 

 tleseya microphylla, the only other distinctly cuneate species, the 

 leaf in hand differs by its very short form, the more distinct costae 

 and the well defined teeth. 



Locality. — Harrington River beds, Harrington River, Col- 

 chester Co., N.S.; Station A12 of Dr. Ami's i8q8 collections. 



The type is in the collections of the Geological Survey of 

 Canada. 



