OF UPPER EOCENE CLIMATES. 7 



spermites is genetically related to the existing genus Pterospermumf 

 or that Elceodendron is a sound botanical identification ? I think not ! 



On the other hand, the great mass of not only the Kenai but of 

 all the Arctic Tertiary floras are the readily recognizable, normal units 

 of a natural assemblage, which individually leave but slight room for 

 differences of opinion regarding their identity. If fruits chance to 

 be found in association with the leaves, they are such things as birch 

 or alder cones, never the fruits of the " suspects " above mentioned. 



Of the remaining genera listed in the Kenai flora, all but the fol- 

 lowing six are represented in the existing flora of Canada: ^sculus, 

 Diospyros, Ficiis, Liquidainbar, Sequoia, and Taxodinm. It may be 

 said of these that the jEsculus may not be an ^sculns, but a Hicoria; 

 that the two species that have been referred to Ficus do not belong in 

 that genus ; and that Sequoia is on the verge of extinction at the 

 present time and its modern range bears little relation to its former 

 range. The case of Sequoia is of especial interest in its bearing on 

 my thesis. Formerly a Holarctic type, it survives today in a most 

 restricted area particularly favored by humidity. 



The remaining genera of the Kenai flora appear to be determined 

 with reasonable certainty. Not only are 39 of these represented in 

 the existing flora of Canada, but the following are still represented in 

 the existing flora of Alaska, or adjacent areas in northwestern Can- 

 ada, or as far north as Labrador and Hudson Bay in eastern Canada : 

 Abies, Acer, Alnns, Alnites, Andromeda, Betida, Carex, Corylus, 

 Equisetum, Fraxinus, Myrica, Osmunda, Phragmites (grass), Picea, 

 Pinus, Populus, Prumis, Pteris, Quercus, Sagittaria, Salix, Spircea, 

 Thuitcs, and Vacciniiim. 



Seventeen of the Kenai species are Conifers, and the only types 

 that would seemingly be out of place in a cool-Temperate climate with 

 well-distributed moisture are Liquidambar, Paliurus, Taxodium, and 

 Zisyphus. I have already given reasons for discrediting the deter- 

 minations of some of these, and all of them have frequently been 

 found fossil in Temperate assemblages. 



The most diversified Arctic Tertiary flora known is that described 

 by Heer from western Greenland. As considerably over-elaborated 

 by Heer it comprises 282 species. Of this number there are 8 worth- 



