60 CONTRIBUTIONS TO PAL^ONTOLOGY 



Cinnamomum affine Lesquereux 



(Plate 9, Figs. 3, 4) 



Cinnamomum affine Lesquereux (in part), Rept. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., vol. 7, 219, pl. 37, figs. 1-4, 7 only, 

 1878; Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 130, 145, pl. 8, fig. 4, pl. 17, fig. 6, 1922. 



The nearly complete leaf (figureS) is the best of about a dozen of this type in the coUections. 

 It is not wholly typical. It has the tri-nerved venation chverging from a point along the midrib well 

 above the petiole, which is so typical of Cinnamomum affine, yet it differs slightly in shape, which 

 is wider and less pointed than the average of oiir specimens (figure 4), and in the presence of an 

 indistinct pair of veins below the lateral primaries. These veins are not usually present in the 

 recorded leaves of this species, though occasionally seen, as in Lesquereux's figure 7. Judging 

 from the specimens in the Medicine Bow collections, these veins are more common than has 

 hitherto been observed. It may be that this character is important enough to distinguish these 

 leaves as a separate species. For the present I consider them conspecific. 



This species is known at present only from the Laramie, Colgate, and Medicine Bow forma- 

 tions. It may possibly also occur in the Denver formation in what has been referred to Cinnamo- 

 mum sp., for want of complete specimens.' A larger suite of Laramie specimens might also indicate 

 that C. laramiensis Knowlton ^ is but a narrow variant of the normal C. affine type. 



A resemblance of these fossil specimens to the leaves of the modern Cinnamomum cannot 

 be denied. The subsidiary basal veins and the faintness of the tertiary venation, however, are 

 features not observed in Cinnamomum. 



Occurrence — Corson Ranch, Wyoming, Loc. P. 372; north of Walcott, Wyoming, Loc. P. 373; 

 Elk Mountain road, Wyoming, Loc. P. 374. 



Colledion—U. C. Mus. Pal., Plesiotypes Nos. 1332, 1333. 



Genus LAUROPHYLLUM Goppert 



Laurophyllum meeki Dorf, n. sp. 



(Plate 7, Fig. 5) 



Diospyros? ficoidea Lesquereux (in part), Rept. U. S. Geol. Surv. Terr., vol. 7, 231, pl. 40, fig. 6 only, 1878. 

 Daphnogene elegans Watelet. Ward, U. S. Geol. Surv., 6th Ann. Rept., 553, pl. 47, fig. 4, 1886; idem, Bull. 37, 

 51, pl. 35, fig. 1, 1887. 



There are 2 specimens which are indistinguishable from those previously referred to the above 

 two species of Lesquereux and Ward. Their specimens were both collected from the same 

 locality, Black Buttes, Wyoming, and are clearly the same species. The specimen here figured 

 from the Medicine Bow formation looks, indeed, like a counterpart to the specimen figured by 

 Ward, which is clearly not, as he himself intimates, referable to Watelefs European species. The 

 generic reference to Lauro-phyllum is purposely non-committal, though indicating resemblance to 

 lauraceous leaves. It is unfortunate that in all known specimens of this species the base and 

 apex are both destroyed, making a complete description impossible. 



Description — Leaves lanceolate to elhptic, narrowed gradually to the base and apex, whose 

 specific characters are not known; length apparently about 12 to 15 cm.; width 4 to 5 cm. at the 

 widest portion just below the middle; midrib fairly thick, straight; secondaries prominent, 6 to 8 

 subopposite pairs, branching acutely from the midrib at angles of 25° to 30°, curving shghtly 

 upward, converging gradually upon the leaf margins in a long series of prominent, quadrate loops; 

 basal secondaries with prominent looping tertiaries on their lower side; remaining tertiary veins 

 prominent, regular, and coar.se, running at angles close to 90° to the midrib; margin entire, slightly 

 undulate; texture subcoriaceous. 



There do not appear to be any other described fossil forms of this genus, or related genera, 

 with which this species can be compared. 



I have named the species for Professor F. B. Meek, who collected the first specimen of this 

 type at Black Buttes, Wyoming. 



Occurrence — Elk Mountain road, Wyoming, Loc. P. 374; Craig, Colorado, Loc. P. 376. 



Collection—U. C. Mus. Pal., Plesiotype No. 1334. 



' Knowlton, F. H., U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 155, 87, pl. 39, fig. 1, 1930. 

 ' Knowlton, F. H., U. S. Geol. Surv. Prof. Paper 130, 146, pl. 22, fig. 3. 1922. 



