DESClilPTlON OF SPECIES— CONIFERJE—CUPEESSINE^. 73 



and the relative position of iho leaves are not satisflictorily distinguishable. 

 The primary branehes, more or less tlexiious, two to three millimeters thiek, 

 are long, diverging in a more or less acute angle from the main axis, with 

 their leaves distant, linear or Ungulate, abruptly pointed; the first divisions, 

 distichous, turned upward, are variable in length, some of them regularly 

 pinnately sulxlivided in simple, short, obtuse branchlets, otiiers elongated and 

 simple from tlie middle. The leaves of the divisions are siiort and small, one 

 to two millimeters long and al)<)ut lialt" as broad, closely iml)ricatc(i and ap- 

 pressed upon each other, the upper outlines only being discernible, ajiparently 

 placed in spiral order, a disposition, however, remarked upon a very small 

 specimen (fig. 13), the only one where the thin coat of coaly matter is pre- 

 served, but not distinctly seen upon the large specimen (fig. 14), which is 

 apparently a counterpart or impression, whereupon the leaves are marked only 

 by black points, or short lines whose relative position is irregular. The spe- 

 cies is related to Widdringtonia antiqua. Sap. (Et., 2, 1, p. GJ, ])I. 1, fig. 4), 

 by the form of the leaves, which, however, arc more closely appressed in our 

 species, and more distinctly in spiral order arouixl the branchlets. The 

 celebrated French author considers this American Conifer as very interesting 

 and remarkable, representing either a new type or an Artlirutaxis, or even a 

 Dacridium. Its generic relation is therefore indefinite. 



Habitat. — Point of Rocks, Wyoming Territory {Dr. F. V. Hayden, 

 Will. Cle.hurn); found in numerous but small specimens. Tlie brancii in 

 fig. 14 is the largest; the others have only secondary divisions and branchlets, 



as in fig. 13. 



TAXODIUM, Rich. 



Taxodium distich iini niioceniciim, Heer. 



Plate VI, Figs. 12-14 a. 



Taxodium duhium, Heer, Lesqx., Anunal Report, 1S72, p. 389 ; 1673, p. 409. 



Bniuclilets caducous, liliform ; leaves distaut or soinotiuies two close together, altoruate, distich- 

 ous, uarrowed to the very short-petioled base, liDcar, obtuse, or obtusely pointed, flat, with a distinct mid- 

 dle nerve. 



This species, described by Ileer in the Arctic Flora as T. duhium, and 

 separated in the Baltic Flora under the present name, is represented in our 

 Tertiary flora by numerous fragments, branchlets only. The cones described 

 and figured I>y the author as subglobose, with large scales marked in the 

 middle by a transverse costa, umbonate at the center and verruco.se, have not 

 yet been found in our Tertiary measures. The leaves greatly vary in size, 



