

334 CUPRESSINEAE [CH. 



CRYPTOMERITES. Bunbury. 



The species Cryptomerites divaricatus , for which Bunbury 1 pro- 

 posed this generic name, is more probably Araucarian than a type 

 allied to Cryptomeria : the choice of the term was suggested solely 

 by vegetative characters and Bunbury recognised that these agreed 

 with species of Amucaria as well as with Cryptomeria. The designa- 

 tion Cryptomerites should be restricted to fossils which there is good 

 reason for believing to be allied to the recent genus. 



Cryptomerites du Noyeri (Baily). 



Baily 2 figured a sterile piece of foliage-shoot from Eocene leaf- 

 beds in County Antrim as Sequoia du Noyeri which Gardner 3 sub- 

 sequently stated to be identical with specimens obtained from the 

 same locality bearing cones similar to those of Cryptomeria. 

 Gardner described the Irish specimens and others from Mull a 

 Cryptomeria Sternbergii (Goepp.), the specific name being adopted 

 because he considered some examples figured by Ettingshausen 4 as 

 Araucarites Sternbergii Goepp. to be identical with the Irish fossils, 

 though most of the specimens described by authors, including the 

 author of the species, as Araucarites Sternbergii are believed to be 

 identical with Araucarites Goepperti Sternb. In these circumstances 

 it seems desirable to employ the specific name du Noyeri used by 

 Baily. Gardner's material consists of foliage-shoots agreeing in 

 their spirally disposed leaves, 4 7 mm. in length and falcate in 

 form, with branches of some species of Araucaria, Dacrydium, and 

 Cryptomeria japonica. The occurrence of associated cones, in some 

 cases attached to the vegetative shoots, affords fairly good evidence 

 in support of comparison with Cryptomeria. The sub-globose cones, 

 15 20 mm. in diameter, consist of a comparatively small number 

 of scales attached by a narrow base and gradually widening towards 

 the distal edge which is deeply fringed. The general appearance of 

 the cones, especially those from Glenarm in Antrim, is similar to 

 those of Cryptomeria (cf. fig. 684, M) and taking into account the 

 characters of the sterile branches the assumption of affinity to that 

 genus appears to be well founded, though actual proof of close 

 relationship is lacking. Gardner includes in Cryptomeria Sternbergii 



1 Bunbury (51) A. p. 190, PL xm. fig. 4; Seward (00) B. p. 287. 



2 Baily (69) PI. xv. fig. 4. 3 Gardner (86) p. 85, Pis. x., xx., xxi. 

 4 Ettingshausen (55) PI. v. 



