566 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol.59. 



convincing material from that region is subsequently discovered, 

 which would not be at all surprising. 



All of the existing species, which are not especially well repre- 

 sented in the larger American Herbaria, are confined to the tropics 

 of Central and South America. The presence of this type with such 

 unusually clearly marked characteristics in the Tertiary flora of 

 Venezuela is of the greatest interest. 



Cotypes.— Cat. Nos. 36426, 36432, 36433, 36444, U.S.N.M. 



Genus FICUS Linnaeus. 



FICUS BETIJOQUENSIS. new species. 



Plate 108, fig. 5. 



Leaves broadly ovate, presumably nonlobate and entire in outline, 

 of medium size, palmately veined. Apex pointed. Base truncate, 

 slightly decurrent. Length about 12 cm. (estimated). Maximum 

 width, at or below the middle, about 10 cm. Texture subcoriaceous. 

 Petiole stout, its total length unknown. Midrib stout, prominent, 

 stouter than the lateral primaries. Lateral primaries one on each 

 side, stout, relatively straight, diverging from the base of the midrib 

 at angles of about 45 degrees, giving off about six camptodrome 

 secondaries on the outside. A wide interval separates the primaries 

 from the lowest secondaries that diverge from the midrib. The 

 secondaries are less stout than the primaries, diverging at more open 

 angles, and camptodrome. Tertiaries well marked, percurrent or 

 alternating in the median region, connected by well marked nervilles 

 at nearly right angles to the tertiaries. Venation typical of the short 

 and wide forms of Ficus. 



The present species is represented in the clays at Betijoque by the 

 single specimen figured, which is unfortunately incomplete. Since it 

 shows sufficient characters to enable it to be recognized if future 

 collections are made, it has seemed best to figure it and describe it as 

 completely as is possible from the nature of the material. 



It belongs to a genus which shows considerable diversity of fea- 

 tures among its very many species. They are present in all tropical 

 countries at the present time and some extend for considerable dis- 

 tances into the Temperate zones. A large number of fossil species 

 have been described from the Upper Cretaceous and Tertiary rocks 

 of different parts of the world. Little is to be gained, however, from 

 detailed comparisons with fossil species from other regions, or with 

 the more or less unknown existing species of the Venezuelan region. 



Eolotype.— Cat. No. 36427, U.S.N.M. 



