XLVl] 



MORICONIA 



333 



at right-angles to the long axis of the pinnules (fig. 760) suggested 

 that some at least of the vein-like markings might be the boun- 

 daries of small scale-like leaves similar to those of Libocedrus and 

 other Conifers. Saporta 1 , in his reference to the genus in an account 

 of the Sezanne flora, assigns Moriconia to the Cupressineae, a 

 determination in accordance with the habit of the foliage-shoots, 

 though in the absence -of reproductive organs it is impossible to 

 fix its position more precisely. The characteristic features are the 

 pinnate branching, the flattened form of the branches, and the 

 geometrically regular decussate short and broad leaves. The genus 

 is recorded only from Lower and Middle Cretaceous rocks. 



Moriconia cydotoxon Debey and Ettingshausen. 



This, the type-species, is recorded from Cretaceous rocks at 

 Aix-la-Chapelle, from the West coast of Greenland and the Atlantic 

 coastal plain. Heer 2 figured an imperfectly preserved specimen 

 from Disco as Pecopteris kudlistensis in which 

 an indication is given of the occurrence of the 

 actual leaves, but some years later 3 he de- 

 scribed well preserved examples as Moriconia 

 cydotoxon, and, as the result of an inspection 

 of drawings supplied by Debey, identified them 

 with the type-species. The same type is re- 

 corded from the Amboy clays (fig. 760) 4 , Staten 

 Island 5 and Block Island. As Hollick points 

 out, a large impression included by Heer in FIG. 760. Moriconia cy- 

 Moriconia should rather be referred to Brachy- 

 phyllum : in the arrangement of the leaves and in 

 the form of the short and blunt lateral foliage- 

 shoots Moriconia agrees closely with some examples of Brachy- 

 phyllum crassum 6 in which the leaves appear to be regularly de- 

 cussate. The leaves of Moriconia are wholly appressed and the 

 upper edge of the lamina is rounded and almost truncate ; a median 

 line, possibly due to the presence of a dorsal keel, runs down the 

 middle of the exposed broad surface of the shoots. 



1 Saporta (68) A. p. 301. 2 Heer (75) ii. p. 97, PI. xxvi. fig. 18. 



3 Ibid. (82) i. p. 49, PL xxxm.; (83) Pis. LIII., LIV. 



1 Newberry and Hollick (95) p. 55, PL x. 



5 Hollick (06) PL m.; Berry (03) PL XLVIII. 6 Berry (06) PL ix. fig. 1. 



clotoxon. (After New- 

 berry and Hollick; 

 nat. size.) 



