DESCRIPTION OF THE SrEC'IKS. 255 



facial leaves are often much elongated, the sides forming parallel lines and 

 the top being an acute triangle. This elongation of the leaves on the 

 front asjject, and the presence of the thread-like midnerves, make some of 

 the twigs to appear striated. The male inflorescence shown in PI. CLXVl, 

 Fig. 7, occurs at the locality near Brooke, associated with T. Brookcnsc in 

 such a way as to make it probable that it l)elongs to this ])lant. 



The varying forms of the leaves on the younger twigs and the char- 

 acter of the midnerves are well shown in PI. CXXTI, Figs. P, l**. The 

 leaves on the upper face of the older twigs are not usually preserved, being 

 perliaps sooner destroyed on account of their greater exposure. The lat- 

 eral leaves are usually so closely appressed that in most cases, if seen with- 

 out the help of a lens, they seem to be consolidated with the stem, and the 

 ultimate twigs look like cords. On many of the ultimate twigs the lateral 

 leaves arch slightly away from the stems in the center, the tips curving in 

 and being closely united to it. The lateral leaves are most connnonly 

 rather obtusely rounded at the tips. The facial ones, when much drawn 

 out, often end in a lancet-shaped point. The thread-like nerves run 

 throughout the entire length of the leaves without change in their thick- 

 ness, and this gives them their peculiar cord-like charartor, wliich can be 

 seen only with the help of a lens. 



Most of the plant-bearing material at the 7-d mile-post is a confused 

 mi.xture of sand and clay, composed of torn up and redeposited matter. 

 In this occur the various forms of Sphcnolcpidkim found at this locality 

 and some of the Angiosperms, but these plants are always in small frag- 

 ments. No specimens of Taxodium Brookeiise occur in this material, but 

 they are found in the layer of clay above mentioned. As all the well-pre- 

 served and most remarkable Angiosperms of this locality occur in this 

 layer, and a number of tliem nowhere else, it is proper to describe it more 

 particularly. This clay layer does not seem to be a deposit of an age dif- 

 ferent from that of the confused matter, but it is simply a more uniform 

 material, the result perhaps of pauses in the movement of the agitated 

 waters in which fine clay in small irregular patches was somewhat uni- 

 forndy laid down. It is oidy one or two inches thick, and does not con- 

 tinue unbroken, but is cut out here and there by the confused material, and 



