218 



LOWER EOCEXE FLORAS 01' SOUTHEASTERN NORTH AMERICA. 



Genus ASIMINA Adanson. 



AsiMlNA LEiocARPA LesquePGUX. 



Asimina leiocarpa. Lesquereux, Am. Pliilos. Soc. Tiuns., 

 vol. 13, p. 422. pi. 15. fig. 8, 1S69. 



Descripiio7i. — Loscjiiereux in 1869 WTote the 

 following desoription : 



A. seminibus oblongo ovalibus, line apice truncatis, 

 altero acutis, hi'vibu.s, pollioem loiigis, vix semi-latis. 



This supposed seed is mcluded in the present 

 enmueration of the Wilcox flora on the au- 

 thoritj- of Lescjuereux's description and figure 

 cited above. It was described from the rod 

 shale at Hurleys and compared AA-ith the seeds 

 of the existing Asimina triloha Don. 



I have been unable to find the type in the 

 Hilgard collections. 



Occurrence. — Ackerman formation, Hurleys, 

 Benton Coimty (fomierly part of Tippah 

 Coimty), Miss, (collected by E. W. Hilgard). 



Family MENISPEEMACE.S;. 



Genus MENISPERMITES Lesquereux (sensu lato). 



Menispermites wiLcoxENsrs BeiTy, n. sp. 



Plates CXV, figures 1 and 2, and CXAT, figures 2 and 3. 



Description. — Leaves of variable size and 

 appearance, broadly or nan-owly ovate m 

 outline, widest m the basal half and tapeimg 

 upward to an acute tip, which is produced in 

 the smaller and more narrow leaves. Length 

 ranges from 10 to 19 centimeters. Maximum 

 width, below the middle, ranges from 4.5 to 12 

 centimeters. Margins entire. Textiu'e subco- 

 riaceous. Base ranges from tnmcate in the 

 smaller leaves to cordate and slightly mequilat- 

 eral in the larger. These leaves are uniforndy 

 inequilateral, -ndth a shghtly curved midrib and 

 with the secondaries on one side shghtly stouter 

 than on the other. This mequilaterahty is 

 shown more by the difference in outhne than by 

 measurement. For example, in the smaller 

 leaves one side of the lamhia is only about a mil- 

 limeter naiTower than the other, but in the 

 larger leaves tliis thffcrence may amount to 

 5 to 8 millimeters. The petiole is stout and 

 cuiwed; oidy its distal part is pi-esei"ved in the 

 material collected. The midrib is stout and 

 promment on the lower surface of the leaf. 

 There are about seven pairs of mostly alter- 

 nate secondaries, more prominent on one side 

 of the midrib than on the other; they are 

 somewhat irregularly spaced and diverge from 



the midrib at angles ranging from 20° to 70°, 

 the angles of divergence becoming progres- 

 sively more acute m passing downward toward 

 the base of the midrib. The basal pair of 

 secondaries are subopposite and simulate pri- 

 maries, especially the one on the more robust 

 side of the leaf. The distal secondaries are of 

 the normal camptodrome type; the lower 

 tlu'ee or four pairs cUvide and subcUvide by 

 repeated forks or false cUchotomies; aU are 

 ultimately camptoch'ome. Tlie tertiary sys- 

 tem is thin and sul)perciUTent, the areola be- 

 ing open and luiequal. 



The genus Menispennites is used for this 

 Wilcox species as a form genus for mialigned 

 forms referable to the family Menisper- 

 macese and not m the sense as defined origi- 

 nally by Lesquereux,' who, though never 

 modifymg his generic diagnosis, subsequently 

 refen-ed forms with a camptoch'ome venation 

 similar to the present species to this genus and 

 it seems to me imnecessary to multiply foiin 

 genera of tliis kind. 



Tlae Wilcox form does not resemlile any 

 previously described species in this family, al- 

 though some of the larger leaves do suggest 

 fossil fonns that have been referred to the 

 genus Ficus as well as other forms refeiTed to 

 the family Tiliacese. Some of the existing 

 species of Cissampelos, Odontocarya, and Ana- 

 mirta are very similar to the fossil form, but 

 it has been found impossible to allocate it 

 more definitely. 



Occurrence. — Southeast comer sec. 28, T. 

 13 N., R. 12 W., near Naborton, De Soto Par- 

 ish, La. (collected by G. C. Matson). 



Collection. — U. S. National Museum. 



Order PAPA VEK ALES. 



Family CAPPARIDACEa;. 



Genus CAPPARIS Linne. 



Cappauis eocenica Berry, n. sp. 



Plates XLIV, figures 1-3, and LII, figure 5. 



Description. — Leaves evergreen and coria- 

 ceous, oblong-lanceolate in outline, the apex 

 and l)ase equally and obtusely pointed, espe- 

 cially ui the larger leaves. Length as a rule 4.5 

 to 6 centuneters, averaging near the larger fig- 

 ure. Width, which is greatest halfway be- 

 tween the apex and the base, 7.5 to 12 mLUi- 



1 Lesquereux, Leo, The Cretaceous flora, U. S. Gcol. Surv. Terr. 

 Report, vol. G, p. 94, 1S74. 



