50 THE OLDER MESOZOIC FLORA OF VIRGINIA. 



Cladophlebis auriculata, spec. nov. 



Plate XXVI, Figs. 6, 7. 



Frond bi- or tripinnatifid, with a strong, ridged rachis, the ridge swollen at the 

 insertion of the ultimate pinnae. Ultimate pinnse subopposite, going off at nearly a 

 right angle, very long, slender, and linear in shape, having a rachis corded on each 

 side, causing a groove in its center. Pinnules thick and coriaceous in texture, oppo- 

 site or alternate, united at the lower part of the base. The base is abruptly expanded 

 into an auricle on each side, giving the pinnules a broadly ovate form. Nervation not 

 very distinctly shown, but apparently as follows : Midrib stout at base, slender above 

 the middle, and splitting up into branches. Lower lateral nerves branching several 

 times, the number of branches diminishing in the upper lateral nerves, until they only 

 branch once. 



This is a very welhniarked plant. The pinnules must have been very 

 thick and leathery, for they leave deep impressions in the shale. The 

 pinnae of ultimate order are very long and slender, and are inserted nearly 

 at right angles to the principal rachis. This latter seems to belong to a 

 primary pinna. It is strongly ridged, the ridge being expanded to receive 

 the bases of the ultimate rachises. These latter have on each side a cord- 

 like ridge, to which the bases of the pinnules are attached, and a shallow, 

 flat, central depression. The pinnules are normally united only at the 

 lowest part of their bases, but toward the ends of the ultimate pinnae 

 become more and more united until they pass into a terminal portion, 

 which is merely undulate on the margin. Their broad, auriculate base is 

 the most characteristic feature. The nervation, owing to the thick and 

 dense nature of the leaf-substance of the pinnules, is not well disclosed, 

 but appears to be as shown in Plate XXVI, Fig. 6 a, which represents an 

 enlarged pinnule of Fig. 6. Plate XXVI, Fig. 7, represents a somewhat 

 abnormal form of the terminal portion of an ultimate pinna, in which the 

 pinnules are more crowded than in the normal form given in Fig. 6. 



Formation and locality. — Found only at Carbon Hill, in the flaggy 

 sandstones over the lower coal seam, along with Acrostichides rliombifolivs. 



Cladophlebis ovata, spec. nov. 



Plate XXVI, Fig. 5; Plate XXVII, Fig. 3. 



Frond bi- or tripinnate. Principal rachis strong, rigid, with a flat groove on one 

 face and a strong, raised central portion on the other. Ultimate pinnae alternate, linear 

 in outline, with strong, rigid rachises. Pinnules alternate, dense, and thick in con- 

 sistency, ovate, obtuse, and slightly falcate, separate to the base. Nerves not well 



