222 THE POTOMAC OR YOUNGER MESOZOIC ELOEA. 



PI. CX gives a large imprint of a decorticated branch found at the fishing 

 hut above the canal. The specimen appears to have been much macerated 

 before entombment, so that the stone shows only the outline of the twigs, 

 all traces of leaves and their scars having been removed. The imprint of 

 the comparatively small woody axes and of the apparently succulent mat- 

 ter surrounding them is all that is shown. The most common specimens 

 found at the entrance to Trent's Reach are the terminal portions of the 

 penultimate twigs. Several good specimens were obtained at the 7"2d mile- 

 post. The specimens given in PI. CXII, Figs. 6-8, occur here. This is 

 another of the connecting links between the floras of the 72d mile-post and 

 Dutch Gap. 



The views of Heer and Saporta ditfer nuica as to the character of the 

 cones of Brachyphyllum. Heer ^ depicts a twig of what he calls Biacliy- 

 ^hyllum insigne. This bears two cones. These he describes as subglobose, 

 w-ith numerous spirally arranged, approximate, woody hexagonal peltate 

 scales, with a round depression in the center. This description applies 

 partly to the macerated cone of B. crassicaule, given in PI CIX, Fig. 6, but 

 the obscure rounded markings on this appear to be not scales but the scars 

 left by them. This, the only cone found attached to twigs with the charac- 

 ter of i?rrtc/<^j^Av///«>«, is unfortunately too poorly preserved to throw any light 

 on the character of the cones of this group. This cone seems to be attached 

 by a short branch to the under side of the twig, and hence it is partly over- 

 lapped by this. 



Saporta - gives figures and descriptions of numerous specimens of 

 Brachyj)hi/UHm found in France On page 319, after noticing Heer's conclu- 

 sions, he says that the forms of Braclujpliyllum presented at the upper ex- 

 tremities of their branchlets small or medium-sized ovoid or oblong cones, that 

 were, according to the species, persistent or caducous. The cones were com- 

 posed of numerous scales, arranged spirally, closely imbricated and ap- 

 pressed, terminated by an apophysial prolongation, lanceolate in shape, 

 thickened, keeled on the back, and more rarely by means of an apophysis 

 dilated into a rhomboidal more or less developed cushion. He thinks that 



' Flor. Foss. Arctica, vol. 4, pt. 2, Beitriige zur Jura-Flora Ostsib., etc., PI. XIII, Fig. 9. 

 2 Faleont. Franfaise, 2= S^r. V^g^taux, vol. 3, 1878, pp. :U3-3-21. 



