290 THE POTOMAC OK YOUNGER MESCZOIC FLOEA. 



tion not seen ; leaves tliick, and the lamina of tlie leaf decurrent for a 

 short distance on the petiole, forming a narrowing wing. 



Locality : 72d mile-post, near Brooke; rare. 



This plant seems to be a variety of Sassafras cretaceum Newb., from 

 the Cretaceous of Dakota, but the nerves are more slender and the terminal 

 lobes diflPerent fi-om the normal species. It is a good deal like S. parvifolium, 

 from Covington street, Baltimore, but is much larger. 



Sassafras bilobatum, sp. nov. 



Plate CLVI, Fig. 12 ; Plate CLXIV, Fig. 4. 



Leaf-substance moderatel}" thick; leaf rather large, elliptical- shaped 

 at base, cut into a rather long lateral lobe, ovate in shape, which is turned 

 away from the midrib, having the opposite side of the leaf gently rounded 

 off; terminal lobe much larger, ovate in shape ; midnerve strong, sending off 

 on the right-hand side from near the base and into the lateral lobe a strong 

 nerve, and on the left-hand side from a little higher a smaller one, which 

 curves upwards, following the margin of the leaf for some distance; the 

 midnerve above the base at different points sends off minor nerves, which 

 curve upwards and fork ; ultimate nervation not seen. 



Localities; Deep Bottom ; 72d mile-post, near Brooke; very rare. 



This plant is strikingly like some leaves of the living species of Sassa- 

 fras, in which we occasionally find leaves with a single lateral lobe, just 

 like that in the fossil. Among fossils it is nearest to S. recurvatum, Lesq., 

 from the Cretaceous of the Dakota group.^ The fine form, PI. CLXIV, 

 Fig. 4, was found at the 72d mile-post. Only one specimen was discovered 

 here. It is quite possible that if more had been found some of them would 

 have shown two lateral lobes, for the size of the lowest lateral nerve, on 

 the left-hand side of the leaf, although inferior to the corresponding one on 

 the right hand, indicates that the plan of the leaf calls for two lateral lobes 



FICOPHYLLUM, gen. nov. 



Leaves elliptical in outline, subacute, graduall3' narrowed at base, with 

 the lamina of the leaf more or less decurrent along the petiole ; midnerve 



' Cretaceous aud Tertiary Floras, p. 57 ; Cretaceous Flora, PI. X, Fig. 3. 



