No. 1738. FOSSIL PLANTS OF THE OEXVR VAGEIOPSIS— BERRY. 187 



twig, the nexl leaf above, that on the left, having its base concealed 

 behind the twig. In no instance is the preservation as good as could 

 be desired, so that the question can not be definitely settled, but such 

 examples as that figured go a long way toward proving that at least 

 some of the forms referred to Nageiopsis had strongly decurrenl 

 leaves and a spiral phvllotaxy. Similar features are shown in some 

 of the specimens of Nageiopsis angustifolia and are indicated in the 

 latest published figures of this species." 



Fourteen supposed species have been described from the Potomac 

 group, an additional one from the Kootanie, and Professor Seward 

 recognizes a species in the English Wealden and doubtfully records 

 a representative from the inferior Oolite of Yorkshire. The genus is 

 also possibly represented in the Neocomian of Japan by specimens 

 which have been identified as Podozamites, but this is far from being 

 demonstrable. 



The Potomac species, excluding those fragmentary species which 

 are not here recognized as related to Nageiopsis, fall naturally into 

 three species characterized, respec- 

 tively, by the possession of very _^^~ 

 long linear leaves, very narrow 

 lanceolate leaves and ovate-lance- 

 olate leaves. - 



They areespecially characteristic *^^^| i^^\L ^ 



of the Patuxent formation, in fact 

 the bulk of the unequivocal mate- „ , „ 



1 m Fig. 1.— Fragment of a twig of nageioposis 



rial comes from the single locality zamioides showing indications of decurrent 

 at Fredericksburg, Virginia. They LEAVES AND A BHBAl PHYLL0TAXY - Nat ™al 



»' ^ - 1 size, hut somewhat exaggerated. 



evidently survived the close of the 



Patuxent, however, characteristic specimens of Nageiopsis <iu(/u.sti- 

 folia occurring in the lower beds at Federal Hill in Maryland, and at 

 various Patapsco outcrops in Virginia. 



Regarding the botanical affinity of Nageiopsis, Professor Fontaine 

 has repeatedly pointed out its striking resemblance to Podocarpus. 

 While admitting this resemblance both Nathorst and Seward have 

 suggested Araucaria for comparison. 6 Although there is, for exam- 

 ple, considerable similarity between Nageiopsis zamioides and Arau- 

 caria bidwiUi, where in the genus Araucaria is there an analogue of 

 Nageiopsis longifoliaf In addition the Araucarieae have their leaves 

 much crowded and the phvllotaxy is spiral while in Nageiopsis the 

 leaves are much more remote and the evidence for a spiral phvllotaxy 

 is not entirely conclusive although probable. Araucaria has mark- 

 edly decurrent leaves and this character also can not be demonsl rated 



a Monogr. U. S. Geol. Kurv., No. 48, L906, pi. 117, figs. I, 5. 



''This is probably the true affinity of Seward's Lower Oolite Nageiopsis. Jurassic 

 Flora, pi. I, L900, p. 288, pi. 51. 



