202 SPHENOLEPIDIUM. 



with. S. Kurrianum that there cannot be much, doubt as to their 

 specific identity. It has already been pointed out, 1 that one of the 

 specimens referred by Schenk to this species is no doubt a fertile 

 frond of Onychiopsis Mantelli (Brong.). Some of the numerous 

 fragments figured by Fontaine from the Potomac beds, as examples 

 of S. Kurrianum, suggest a plant with a habit somewhat different 

 to that of Bunker's species. Without attempting to discuss the 

 exact nature of all Fontaine's fragments, it is probably safe to 

 assert that the present species is represented in the Potomac 

 Flora. Fontaine's specimens are all without cones, but the 

 small cones figured by him as d.thrutaxopsis expansa, Font., may 

 in all probability be referred to S. Kurrianum. The specimen 

 figured by this author as Sequoia gracilis, Heer, 3 bears a decided 

 resemblance to the present species. The fragments of cone-bearing 

 twigs figured by Fontaine as a new species, S. Virginicum, are 

 compared by him with S. Kurrianum. I have included these 

 specimens in the synonomy as probably identical with the present 

 species. Saporta's Portuguese examples of the species are for 

 the most part small fragments of twigs ; but there can be little 

 or no doubt as to their specific identity with the English plant. 



The numerous specimens figured by Heer from the Lower 

 Cretaceous rocks of Greenland as Cyparassidium gracile, Heer, 3 

 agree so closely with S. Kurrianum, that one feels tempted to 

 regard the two as identical. Heer notes the resemblance as 

 regards leaf form, and disposition between Cyparissidium, Wid- 

 dringtonites, Glyptostrolus, Athrotaxis, and Sequoia; but adds that 

 the form of the cones in Cyparissidium is quite distinct from 

 that in the other genera, and more allied to Cunningliamia. 

 Although there are some slight differences between the cones 

 figured by Heer and those of Sphenolepidium, the points of 

 difference do not appear to be very wide. Ettingshausen figures 

 some specimens from Niederschoena under the name of Frenelites 

 Reicliii, Ett. ; 4 these bear a strong resemblance to the present 

 species, and it is difficult to determine on what grounds the 



1 Vol. I. p. 44. 



2 Fontaine, Potomac Flora, pi. cxxvi. 



3 Heer (A. 3), Fl. loss. Arct. vol. vi. pi. i., and Fl. foss. Arct. vol. iii. (2) 

 pi. xix. etc. 



4 Ettingshausen (A. 8), p. 246, pi. i. fig. 10. 



