90 THE OLDEE MESOZOIC FLOEA OF VIRGINIA. 



UNDETERMINED PLANTS. 



In Fig. 2, Plate XLVIII, I give a representation of a plant which waa 

 found in the Cumberland Area with only the small fragment given in the 

 figure. It occurs in the black shale on the horizon of the coal beds of this 

 area, along with Equisetum JRogersi, Pterophyllum decussatum, and the frag- 

 ments presently to be described. It is marked by rather strong, closely 

 placed nerves, which fork at long intervals. The mode of forking of the 

 nerves resembles that of Sphenozamites Rogersianus, but the dots and bars 

 always seen on this plant do not occur here. The specimen seems to be a 

 fragment of a large leaf. It may be a portion of a large fern. 



Bambusium ? 

 Plate XLVIII, Fig. 3. 



Fig. 3, Plate XLVIII, gives a representation of a grass-like fragment- 

 ary leaf, marked with closely placed, rather strong, and very distinctly 

 defined nerves. Between each of these, with the help of a lens, may be 

 seen one and sometimes two very fine lines. Fig. 3a, represents a portion 

 of the leaf magnified to show this line in the interspace between the nerves. 

 Fig. 3, does not seem to represent the original width of the leaf, for the 

 specimen has evidently had a portion torn off from its side. It is found 

 with the above plant. It may be a Bambusium. 



In Fig. 4, Plate XLVIII, I give a representation of a singular group 

 of fragmentary leaves. Several specimens have been found, with the above 

 mentioned plants, in the black shale of the Cumberland Area. None of 

 the specimens show very distinctly the character of the plant. The appear- 

 ance presented is that of a bunch of very thin, rather narrow leaflets, that 

 have been crowded by compression over one another, so that only the 

 lacerated ends and edges are to be seen overlying one another. Several 

 of these occur in the specimen figured. The strong irregular lines of the 

 figure are the free lacerated edges of the superposed leaves. They suggest 

 the idea that they spring divergently from a common point. The nerves 

 of the leaves appear as fine striae, too fine to be seen distinctly without the 

 help of a lens. I have represented these fine striae on portions of the leaves. 

 The grouping of the leaves reminds one of Heer's genus Phcenicopsis. 



