188 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM. vol. 38. 



for Nageiopsis although, as the writer shows elsewhere in tins paper, 

 there is some evidence for both this and the preceding character in 

 sonic of the specimens. Taking into account all of the fads obtain- 

 able, however, the reference of Nageiopsis to the Podocarpese seems 

 reasonably well established, at least the facts at our command do not 

 warrant our making any changes at the present time although the 

 possibility of Nageiopsis being related to the abundant Mesozoic 

 Araucarieae should not be lost sight of. 



The existing species of Podocarpus comprise about two score forms 

 and they are as dominant representatives of the Coniferales in the 

 Southern Hemisphere as are the pines in the Northern. They extend 

 northward to China, and Japan through the East Indian region and 

 have representatives in all three of the great southern land masses. 

 This peculiar distribution in itself may be considered as an indication 

 of an extensive geological history, although the records of this his- 

 tory are not nearly as complete as they are for many other genera. 

 To summarize briefly there are fifteen or more described species coming 

 chiefly from the European Tertiary and one of these has been doubt- 

 fully recognized by Lesquereux in this country at Florissant, Colorado. 

 The extra-American distribution includes Eocene species in England, 

 Scotland, France, Italy, and Australia; Oligocene species in France, 

 Germany, Switzerland, Italy, Styria, Tyrol, and Greece: Miocene 

 species in Fiance, Styria, and Croatia; and Pliocene species in Italy. 

 The descendants of Nageiojjsis have not, however, been recognized in 

 later American deposits. 



The comparison of Nageiopsis with Podocarpus is more especially 

 with the section Nageia, one of the four sections into which Kichler" 

 divides Podocarpus. Nageia. formerly regarded as a distinct genus, 

 has a broad form, numerous parallel veins, and lacks a midrib, the 

 latter being present in the other three sections of the genus. It may 

 be questioned whether the reduction of Gaertner's genus to a section 

 of Podocarpus L'lTeretier, as clearly expresses the natural facts as 

 they would be emphasized by its retention as a distinct genus. 

 Xagcia has about a dozen species ranging from Japan southward to 

 the East Indies and New Caledonia. 



It has seemed wiser in considering detached and fragmentary leaves 

 such as are those specimens which have been referred to Nageiopsis 

 from the Shasta, Lakota, and Ivootanie formations to fully indicate 

 their extremely doubtful character. Likewise in regard to the 

 affinity of some of the fragmentary detached specimens of Nageiopsis, 

 so called, from higher horizons in the Potomac group in cases where 

 t here is absolutely no evidence that thev are so related thev have been 

 referred to Podozamites or Zamites, genera broad enough to include 

 them without the implications and the contravention of the generic 

 diagnosis which would be involved in retaining them in Nageiopsis. 



a In Engk'i ami I'raiill. 



