THE CRETACEOUS SYSTEM 295 



hagensis. Curiously twisted stems, which may have 

 belonged to a cycad, occur in the upper part of the 

 sandstones, as well as stems of Benstedtia. 



The chief interest of the Wood beds lies in the well- 

 preserved leaves and other parts of plants that are pre- 

 served in the bluish-grey sandy mudstones, clays, and 

 thin limestones between Paltje's Kraal (on Bezuiden- 

 hout's River) and the lower portion of the Witte River, 

 including the bed of the Sunday's River near the Dun- 

 brody Mission Station. 1 Some of these beds are crowded 

 with the broad fronds of Zamites, a cycad of which 

 several species have been found ; they are accompanied 

 by other cycads, conifers and ferns. 2 



The following is a list 3 of the plants hitherto obtained 

 from these beds, those marked with an asterisk having 

 been also found in the Gamtoos Valley : 



Ferns 



* Onychiopsis mantelli, Brongn. 

 Cladophlebis browniana, Dunk. 



,, denticulata, Brongn., forma atherstonei 



(found also at Herbertsdale). 



* Sphenopteris fittoni, Sew. 



sp. 



Tceniopteris, sp. (found also at Herbertsdale). 

 Osmundites kolbei, Sew. (found also at Herbertsdale). 



1 Dunbrody is the Geelhoutboom oi the Divisional maps, a name which 

 is used by Atherstone, Tate and other writers. 



2 All the plants mentioned in this chapter are named according to 

 Prof. Seward's determinations published in A. S.A.M., iv., pt. L, 1903, and 

 in G. M., 1907, p. 481. The specimen of Phyllotheca whaitsi described in 

 the latter paper came from the Beaufort beds. 



3 Tate, R., Q. J. G. S., xxiii., p. 139, 1867. Seward, A. C., A. S. A. M., 

 iv., pt. i., 1903 ; G. M., p. 481, 1907. 



