FOSSIL CYC ADS FROM Tllli BLACK HILLS— WARD. 199 



be necessary to examine it. It is clear that in the present position the 

 leaf scars have a decided downward direction, which is rare but not 

 unknown (e. g., (J. nhlcri). Moreover, the scars, which are subtriangu- 

 lar, have now their sharp angle upward, which, if the specimen is 

 riglit side up, would indicate that the keel of the petioles was on the 

 upper side, a condition which I have only met with in two other 

 species, C. aspcr<i and (J. imoUta described below. (Joi)pert's figure' 

 shows the specimen in the same position, that is, probably inverted.] 



Kight of the specimens in the Yale collection belong to tliis species, 

 namely, Nos. 2, 7, 0, 10, 17, 37, 10, and 5.^, of which Nos. li and 10 are 

 perfect trunks, but are both much shorter in proportion to their size 

 than the great National Museum type. Tlicy are also less laterally 

 compressed. They may have been somewhat vertically compressed. 

 No. 37, though incomplete, is a lino specimen, weighing nearly 150 kg., 

 and has a height of 71 cm. No. 55, though it has lost considerable at 

 the summit, still weighs llO.fIS kg. No. 40, whi(;h represents less than 

 half of tlie original trunk, is also a line fragment. The rest are 

 smaller and nK)ro imperfect. 



CYCADEOIDEA WELLSII, new species. 



Trunks large, ellipsoidal, subcylindrical, or somewhat barrolshai)cd, 

 more or less laterally compressed, rounded at the summit, bearing 

 numerous small secondary axes in the form of i)rotul)erances, light 

 reddish brown or drab colored, line grained, hard and rather heavy, 

 sometimes weighing nearly 100 kg., 40 to 55 cm. high, 30 to 45 cm. in 

 diameter, and nu)re than 1 meler in girth; terminal bud not promi- 

 nent; organs of the armor about horizontal except near the summit; 

 phyllotaxy much disturbed and not traceable; leaf scars rather small, 

 subrhombic or nearly rhombic, often trapeziform or very irregular in 

 shape, average distance between the lateral angles 20 mm. and between 

 the vertical ones 12 mm., none of tiie angles rounded, all except the 

 small ones at the apex empty to considerable depth; ramenfaceous 

 interspaces exceptionally thick, sometimes 2 cm., presenting a smooth 

 but gently undulating surfjice, lowest in the middle i)art rising lo the 

 scar which forms a sharp edge, producing the general elfect of being- 

 molded in jdastic clay; rei)rodu(;tive organs very large, abundant, and 

 conspicuous, greatly distorting the arrangement of the leaf scars as 

 well as their form, often nearly circular in cross section, 4 to 5 cm. in 

 diameter, showing the remains of the central organs surrounded by 

 concentric (circles of large, emi)ty, and d(^ep involucral bract sc;»rs 

 which are semilunar or somewhat triangular in shape, and may reach 

 7 mm. in length; armor about 7 cm. thick, (cortical parenchynui 4 cm., 

 librous zone 4 cm. showing two rings, the inner projecting at the base, 

 concentrically lamiiuited and inclosing the much decayed medulla 

 about 12 cm. in diameter. 



' Jubiliiums-lJoukschr. d. Sclilus. (ice. f. vat. Cult., 1853, pi. vni, fig. 4. 



