280 



LOWER EOCKXE FLORAS OF SOUTHEASTERN KOIM U AMERICA. 



Springs, Marsliall County. Miss, (collect (hI l)y 

 E. W. Berry). 



Collections. — U. S. Xational Musiunn. 



Paliukus pixsoxensis Berry, n. sp. 

 PlaleLXXI, %uic 7 



Description. — Leaves ratlu r above tlu^ aver- 

 ago size for this genus, elliptical in outline, 

 margins full and entire^, curving inward at tlie 

 base and slightly decurrent on the short and 

 stout petiole. Tiie extreme tip of the leaf is 

 missing, but from the way in which the margins 

 bend inward distad it is assumed to have been 

 broadly rounded, although there is the possi- 

 bility that the margins turned to form a short 

 pointed tip. Length about 4 centimeters. 

 Maximum width about 1.9 centimeters in the 

 middle part of the leaf. Primaries five in num- 

 ber, diverging palmately at acute angles from 

 the extreme base of the leaf; the midrib is no 

 larger or more prominent than tlie main lateral 

 primaries; the two outer primaries are more 

 slender and shorter, forming a marginal hem 

 for half the length of the margin. Midrib 

 curved, main primaries evenly bowed, aero- 

 drome. Secondaries camptodrome from the 

 outside of the main lateral primaries. Ter- 

 tiaries very fine, curved, mostly transverse. 

 Texture thin. 



This species shows more or less resemblance 

 to a number of described forms, suggesting 

 particularly some of the forms which have 

 been referred to the widespread Paliurus 

 colomhi Heer,' so common in Arctic America 

 and recorded from a number of early Eocene 

 localities in the western part of North America 

 (Rocky Mountain region). Paliurus pin.w- 

 nensis is somewhat larger and more symmetric 

 than the leaves of the modc^rn species, which 

 are usually broadest proximad and pointed 

 distad. Several fossil forms, however, for ex- 

 ample, Paliurns orhiculatus Saporta,- are ellip- 

 tical or orbicular and have a rounded apex. 



'I'hc present species somewhat resembles the 

 Cretaceous species Paliurus ovalis Dawson ' 

 and Paliurus obovatus Lesquereux ' and may 



1 Heer, Oswald, Flora fossilis arclica, vol. l,p. 122, pi. 17, fig. 2d; pi. 10, 

 flgs. 2-4, 1868. 



2. Saporta, G. de, Etudes sur la v(5g(?tation du sud-est de la Friuice 

 i IV'poque terUaire, vol. 3, p. 1X2, pi. 8, fig. 6. 1S67. 



' Dawson, J. W., Roy. Soc. Canada Trans., vol. .3, sec. 4, ji. 1 1, pi. 4, 

 figs. 4,8, 1SS6. 



< Lesquereux, Leo, The flora of the Dakola group, p. Ka, pi. :«, fig. 6, 

 1892. 



possibly ])(' a (U^scendant of one of these forms. 

 It resembles somewhat <'innamomumvera3eTry, 

 which occurs at O.xford and 1 Tolly Springs, 

 Miss., and at Puryear, Teiin., 1)ut is a smaller, 

 thinner, more obtuse leaf, witli a shorter petiole, 

 and with curved outer secondaries uistead of 

 straight transverse veins between tlie lat(>ral 

 primaries. It is only known from tlie one lo- 

 cality near the base of beds of Wiirox age, 

 where the small florule has a somewhat dilfer- 

 ent facies from the ordinary Wilco.x aspect. 



Occurrence. — Lagrange formation (in beds 

 of Wilcox age), Phison, Madison County, Tenn. 

 (collected by E. W. Berry). 



Collection. — U. S. National Museum. 



Palrtrus angustus Berry, n. sp. 

 Plate LXXI, figures 5 and G. 



Descrijition. — Leaves of medium size for 

 this genus, relatively narrow, ovate-lanceolate 

 in general outlme, about .3.5 centimeters m 

 length ])y about 1.1 centmieters in maximum 

 width, m the middle part of the leaf. Apex 

 l)luntly pointed. Base more acute, decurring 

 to the stout petiole. Margins entire. Leaf 

 substance very thin. Petiole stout, 3 or 4 

 millimeters m length. Midrib stout, curved. 

 Lateral primaries one on each side, thin, sub- 

 opposite, suprabasalar, branching from the 

 midrib at an acute angle, joining a lateral 

 branch from the lowest secondaries m the 

 middle part of the leaf. Secondaries four, 

 subopposite to alternate, very thui pairs, curv^- 

 ing upward, camptodrome. The tertiaries are 

 not clearly made out; as figured on the accom- 

 panyuig plate the trajisverse lining is com- 

 posed in part of transverse veuiis and is in part 

 due to the wrinkling of the very thin leaf, 

 caused by some slight motion of the matrix. 



This present species is not especially close to 

 any described species. It is associated wnth 

 the fruits described as Paliurus mississippiensis 

 at the Holly Springs locality, but in view of the 

 abundance and variety of forms at this out- 

 crop there is no reason for assuming that the 

 leaves and fruits came from the same plant. 

 A restoration of the leaves and the fruits 

 associated with them is shown in figure 14. 



Occurrence. — Holly Springs sand, Holly 

 Springs, Marshall County, Miss, (collected l)y 

 E. W. Berry). 



Collection. — \J. S. National Museum. 



