388 FOSSIL FRUITS OF PALMS. 



Every known living species.* These leaves are too well 

 preserved to have endured transport by water from a dis- 

 tant region, and must apparently be referred to extinct 

 species, which in the Tertiary period, were indigenous in 

 Europe. 



No pinnated Palm leaf has yet been found in the Tertiary 

 Strata, although the number of these forms among existing 

 palms, is more than double that of the tlabelhform leaves.f 



Fossil Fruits of Palms. 



Many fossil fruits of the Tertiary period belong to the 

 family of Palms, all of which, according to M. Ad. Brong- 

 niart, seem derived from Genera that have pinnated leaves. 

 Several such fruits occur in the Tertiary clay of the Island 

 of Sheppey ; among which are the Date,J now peculiar to 

 Africa and India ; the Cocoa-nut,§ which grows universally 

 within the tropics; the Bactris, wdiich is hmited to America; 

 and the Areca, which is found only in Asia. Not one of 

 these can be referred to any flabelliform palm. Fossil 

 Cocoa-nuts occur also at Brussels, and at Liblar near 

 Cologne, together with fruits of the Areca. 



* The leaf represented in PI. 64. fig. 1. is that of a flahelliform Palm 

 (Palmacites Latnanonis,) from the Gypsum of Aix in Provence ; similar 

 leaves have been found in three other parts of France, near Amiens, Mans, 

 and Ang-ers, all in strata of the Tertiary epoch. Another species (Palma- 

 cites Parisiensis) has been found in the Calcaire Grossier, near Versailles 

 (Cvvier and Brongniart, O'eognosie des Environs de Paris, PI. 8, fig. 1. E.) 

 A third species of Palm leaf (Palmacites flabellatus) occurs in the Molasse 

 of Switzerland, near Lausanne, and in the Lignite of Hoering, in Tyrol" 

 See PI. 1, figs. 13. 66. 



t The Date, Cocoa-nut Palm, and Areca are familiar examples of Palms 

 having pinnated leaves. See PI. L figs. 67. 68. 



t See Parkinson's Org. Rem. Vol. i, PI, VI. fig. 4, 9. 



§ See Parkinson's Org. Rem. Vol. i. PI. VIL fig. 1—5. M. Brongniart 

 says, these fruits are undoubtedly of the Genus Cocos, near to Cocos lapi- 

 dea, of GtBrtner. 



