MESOZOIC PLANTS PERU 61 



elusive of petiole, and a maximum width of 5.5 cm. Stipe 

 stout, somewhat curved. Pinnae coriaceous, alternate, 

 relatively short and broad, elliptical in general form, some- 

 what unsymmetrical, with broadly rounded tips and slightly 

 auriculate base which overlaps the upper side of the stipe 

 and renders the exact area of attachment obscure. The 

 pinnae are slightly ascending diverging from the stipe at wide 

 but slightly varying angles. The margins are entire, full 

 and evenly rounded and the proximal margins are usually 

 fuller and more rounded and the distal margins straighter 

 although these characters are not constant. The pinnae vary 

 in size from a length of 2.75 cm. and a maximum width of 

 1.4 cm. in the median region of the frond to a length of 1.5 

 cm. and a maximum width of 8.5 mm. in the lower part of 

 the frond. They are closely placed and their margins usually 

 overlap slightly. The veins are thin, numerous, close set 

 and immersed; they diverge from the area of attachment 

 and doubtless fork in the basal region but throughout most 

 of their length to the margins they are straight and approx- 

 imately parallel. 



This species is very close to the Wealden species Otosa- 

 mites Klipsteinii (Dunker) Seward 17 in its general aspect 

 but is smaller and the pinnae are shorter and more ovate. 

 It is still more like the incomplete form from the Jurassic of 

 Oregon described by Fontaine as Otozamites oregonensis 18 

 and may be identical with that imperfectly known species. 

 It is something like Otozamites obtusus (ooliticus Seward) 19 

 but has larger relatively wider and less auriculate pinnae. 

 Other similar forms are Otozamites beani (Lindley & Hut- 



17 Seward, A. C., Wealden Fl. pt. 2, p. 60, pi. i, figs. 3, 4; pi. 7, 

 1895- 



18 Fontaine, W. M., Mon. U. S. Geol. Surv., vol. 48, p. 150, pi. 

 38, figs. 13, 14, 1905. 



19 Seward, A. C., Jurassic Fl. pt. i, p. 218, pi. i, fig. i; pi. 2, 

 fig. 2, 1900. 



