106 THE OLDER MESOZOIO FLOEA OF VIRGINIA. 



Emmons's figure much resembles some portions of the upper part of A. 

 rhombifolius. On plate 6, fig. 1, "Am. Geol.," he gives a figure of a much 

 smaller plant, which, although similar to an Odontopteris in facies, is prob- 

 ably a different species from that described above. This latter specimen, 

 reproduced in our Fig. 9, Plate XLIX, is a good deal like some of the 

 upper lobed pinnae of Acrostichides rhombifolius, but it is more like Sphenop- 

 teris Rossertiana, Presl, from the Rhaetic of Europe. It is much like 

 Sphenopteris obtusiloba, Andra?, from the Lias of Steierdorf, which Schimper 

 makes a Cladophlebis. These plants may prove to be Acrostichides, when 

 their fructification is found. In the mean time, as it is probable that the 

 North Carolina plant is not a Sphenopteris, it should be made a Cladophlebis 

 If identified with the Liassic plant, as it probably should be, it ought to be 

 called Cladophlebis obtusiloba. 



It is to be noted that the horizon of this and the preceding plant is not 

 the same. The blue slate alternates with the conglomerate, the basal rock 

 of the upper series, and the reddish marly slate begins from 300 to 500 feet 

 higher. It is much to be regretted that Emmons does not state which 

 plant occurs at the lower, and which at the higher horizon. Probably it is 

 the smaller plant, from its Liassic affinities, that occurs at the higher 

 horizon. 



Walchia diffusus. 

 Plate LI, Fig. 4. 

 Emmons's "Am. Geol.", plate 3, tig. 2, p. 105. 



"Frond and branches thickly covered with small leaves, clasping at base, largest 

 upon the main stem; branches numerous, irregularly placed, often elongated and very 

 leafy; the leaves rather obtuse, and appear punctate under the microscope. The 

 species is rather common at Ellington's." 



Emmons seems not to have paid much attention to the structure of the 

 leaves of the conifers from the North Cai-olina Mesozoic, and especially not 

 to have noted with care their nervation, as in this case. Hence one cannot 

 come to any very satisfactory conclusion concerning their true nature. In 

 some of the leaves of this plant he has formed in the figure a midrib. 

 If this be present, then the plant is a Palissya, as is indicated by the 

 general facies. It is strikingly like Palissya conferta, Feist. Compare fig. 

 5, plate xlv, "Pal. Indica," series ii, 7. "Foss. Flor. of the Rajmahal 



