70 DESCETPTITE CATALOGUE 



lanceoktis longe adnato decurrentibus vestiti ; ramulorum foliis 

 linearibtis, alternis distiche lineari-subfalcatis, obtusiusculis v. 

 acutis, rigide coriaceis, persistentibus, supra lucidis, sulco longi- 

 tudinali exaratis, subtus nervo valido, et utrinque juxta nervum 

 stomatum fasciis albidis notatis. Gemmae terminales perulatae, 

 pcrulis ad innovationcs persistentibus. Amenta staminigera in 

 ramulis axillaribus brevissimis solitaria, sicpo spicam foliataiu 

 referentia. Strobili in ramulis brevibus, pcrulis imbricatis 

 tcctis ad innovationes solitarii, nucis Avellanae magnitudine, 

 squamis in rhaclii persistentibus." 



The great majority of the numerous fossil Sequoias which 

 have been described are based on impressions of the foliage. 

 The external foliage characters of many living genera are so 

 confusing that it is not surprising that a large proportion of 

 the fossil determinations are worthless. There are, however, 

 many well-authenticated species of this genus not only from 

 Tertiary, but from Upper Mesozoic deposits in all parts of the 

 world. Jn particular, various cones form the basis of trust- 

 worthy determinations (see, for example, ^[nnl<i (i,nf>i>/nn, ]\, 

 recently revised by Derry, 101 1 , p. 441)). Indeed, from the 

 Porilandian of France (see Fliche & /eiller. 1 !><>.">) upwards, 

 there is little doubt that So/noia and forms very closely allied 

 to it were widely distribut< d. 



Sequoia giganteoides, sp. nov. 



Plate II ; text-tig. 1C.] 



'&'. Foliage of the type of Seijin>i;i ij'ujnntca, but 

 smaller; (leaves -o mm. in diameter, axis -3 mm. in diameter)*. 

 Pith soft -celled, xylem bundles of primary wood in small 

 groups, secondary tracheids very small, the largest up to 9 /x in 

 diameter. Stone-cells in phloem. Leaf-trace single, giving 

 rise to a single undivided bundle in the leaf. A large central 

 resin-canal in the leaf, with a group of transfusion tissue on 

 either side. Large palisade-cells radiate towards a double 

 hypodermic sclerenchyma band on the lower surface of the leaf. 



* Thppe are probably not. true specific characters. If, as is possibly 

 the cnse. the fo:-sil is an ultimate, twig, other leaves of the same plant 

 would cert.'tiulv have had larger measurements. 



