14 PROCEEDINGS OF THE NATIONAL MUSEUM vol.73 



twigs represent the genus Fitzroya. Their place of occurrence 

 and associates point to this conclusion, as do the correspondence in 

 size of leaves, in their broad decurrent bases and general form and 

 midvein. They are commonly somewhat more pointed than the 

 leaves of the small amount of recent material seen and are also 

 more appressed. The species is said to show considerable variability 

 in the degree of crowding or spreading of the leaves. 



The genus is an interesting one, the modern distribution of which 

 has suggested that it was a relict genus, but no fossil species have 

 heretofore been described, to my knowledge. There is also some 

 difference of opinion regarding its position among the Coniferales. 

 It has usually been associated with the Actinostrobinae — all of whose 

 members have a unique disconnected range — but it is by some 

 authors ^^ removed from association with Actinostrobus, Oallitris, and 

 Widdringtonia and referred to the Cupressinaceae. Fitzroya pata- 

 gomca is a mesophytic type of the Chilean temperate rain forest, 

 reaching its northern limit at about latitude 40° near Valdivia and 

 extending southward nearly to the end of South America, overlapping 

 slightly the western frontier of Argentina and southern Patagonia, 

 where the environment is suitable. It is a large tree and reaches 

 its largest size in palustrine environments. 



A second species confined to Tasmania was described by Hooker 

 in the monotypic genus Disehna. It has usually been considered to 

 belong to the same genus as the Chilean tree, but recently it has been 

 proposed to revive the genus Disehna for its reception. The question 

 is one involving a great deal of personal equation, and whichever 

 view finally prevails, there can be no doubt of the similarity and 

 probable relationship between the two. 



Occurrence. — About 3 miles north of Estancia Chalia, Rio Chalia, 

 Territory of Santa Cruz. 



H olotype. —Csit. No. 37859 U.S.N.M. 



Class MONOCOTYLEDONAE 



MONOOOTYLEDONAE INCERTAE SEDIS 

 SCIRPITIS species Dusen (?) 



Plate 3, Figure 15 



Scirpitis species Dusen, Schwed. Siidpolar-Exped., vol. 3, Lief, 3, p. 16, pi. 2, 

 fig. 6, 1908. 



The coarseness of the parallel veins and the lack of a midvein 

 stamp these remains as stem fragments. They vary considerably in 

 size, the fragment figured being the largest seen. As far as one may 



^^ Seward, A. C, Fosssil Plants, vol. 4, p. 124, 1919. 



