40 GEOLOGY OF LOWER MESOZOIC ROCKS OF QUEENSLAND, 



It maybe of advantage hereto summarise the present position 

 of our knowledge of the Horas of Australian Lower Mesozoic 

 rocks. 



Rocks of this age are developed in all the Australian States, 

 but only in Western Austi-alia are they of marine origin. The 

 state of our knowledge of the fossil tloras cannot be considered 

 satisfactory. In Western Australia, the number of plants in 

 these rocks is very small, but the fact, that they are associated 

 with strata containing marine fossils, is of great importance as 

 giving some indication regarding their exact position in the 

 Geological Record. Jn South Australia, a few fossil plants have 

 been described from the Lower Mesozoic rocks at Leigh's Creek, 

 and PhyJlopteris Feistmanteli has also been recorded from Ooroo- 

 wilanie Swamp, 100 miles north of Leigh's Creek; this latter 

 record may be from the Cretaceous rocks overlying the Rolling 

 Downs Series. In Tasmania, fossil plants are abundant, and a 

 large number have been described and figured from Lower 

 Mesozoic rocks. Unfortunately, some of the determinations 

 are open to doubt, and many of the figures and description are 

 too imperfect to be of value in a comparison of the Tasmanian 

 Mesozoic flora with other Australian Mesozoic floras In Vic- 

 toria, Lower Mesozoic rocks occur in three areas (South Gipps- 

 land. Cape Otway, and Wannon areas). A collection of fossil 

 plants from these strata has been described by Professor Seward, 

 and more recent additions have been determined by Mr. F. 

 Chapman. This flora has been determined as of Jurassic age, 

 and it is sufficiently well-known to enable reliable comparison to 

 be made with other floras. In New South A\ ales, fossil plants 

 are abundant in Lower Mesozoic rocks, but no comprehensive 

 examination of the whole flora has been undertaken. Lists of 

 the floras of the different Series, prepared by Mr. W. S. Dun, 

 were published in Carne's memoir on the Western Coalfield of 

 New South Males, in ly08. Ihese have been supplemented, 

 from time to time, by descriptions of additional specimens, by 

 Mr. Dun. From these lists, it is possible to obtain a fairly good 

 idea of the flora of the Lower Mesozoic rocks in New^ South 

 Whales. In Queensland, the author has just completed an ex- 



