88 THE OLDEE MESOZOIC FLOBA OF VIBGINIA. 



and more fragile blade of the leaf. Can it be because these petioles were 

 persistent, and the long laciniae of the leaves caused them to be frequently 

 torn off without carrying the petioles with them? 



This plant can be identified positively with no previously-described 

 species known to me. It is far larger than any previously known. Dr. 

 Emmons gives a figure in his "American Geology" of a poorly preserved 

 fragment of a plant which he calls Nceggerathia striata, fig. 96. This frag- 

 ment is, I think, the basal portion of one of the leaves of Baiera multifida. 

 This plant occurs, as Dr. Emmons says, on the same horizon with the beds 

 furnishing so many cycads and calamites. 



Formation and locality. — Abundant at Clover Hill in the strata between 

 the bottom and main seams of coal, and not uncommon at Carbon Hill on 

 the same horizon. 



CHEIEOLEPIS, Schimper. 



Branches unequal and distichous. Leaves densely crowded, spirally tetrastichous, 

 small, decurrent at base, lanceolate-acute, subfalcate-incurved, with a strong midrib, 

 thick and dense in texture. 



This plant has been called by various names, such as Brachyphyllum 

 and Pachyphyllum. Under the name of Brachyphyllum, Schenk describes 

 two forms occurring in the Rkaatic of Franconia, which I consider identical 

 with the plant found in the Virginia Mesozoic. Schimper unites the B. affine 

 and B. Munsteri of Schenk, and gives the plants the name Cheirolepis Munsteri. 



Cheirolepis Munsteri (Schenk), Schimper. 



PlateXLVII,Figs.6,7. 



Branches distichous, leaves thick in texture, decurrent at base, with a strong 

 middle nerve, lateral leaves somewhat spreading, and falcate-incurved, acutely acu- 

 minate, ovate or oblong in shape, those on the front and rear surface smaller and 

 closely appressed. 



There is an apparent difference between the front and rear leaves and 

 those laterally placed, which may result in large part from the compression 

 of the branches. The lateral leaves appear spreading and incurved, while 

 those on the front aspect are apparently smaller and fewer, and are pressed 

 so closely to the stems that they are often with difficulty made out. The 



