•jQQ Contributions to tlie Fossil Quarternary Flora of Cyprus. 



Lauras nohilis L- (Fig. 65 c— e). The first impression when inspecting- that large'groupe of fossile 

 leaves which are here determinated as Laitrus nolnlis. will not fail to be, that at least two or three species 

 must be represented among them. The shape of the leaves varies from broadly lanceolate to oblong, and even 

 to almost obovate. The leaves are generally cuneate towards the bases but some-times also bioadly rounded; 

 the ends are in most cases acute, but also leaves with acuminate, more or less protracted ends and even quite 

 obtuse, rounded ends are met with. The length of the leaves varies from 5.5 to 8.3 cm., the bi'edtli from 

 2.0 to 4.8 cm. In spite of all these differences I still consider the generic determination of all well pre- 

 served leaves to be so certain as a determination only based upon impressions of leaves of so common a 

 form as the Latov^s-leaves can possibly be, and in most of the cases I feel convinced of its correctness. 

 From the manner, in which the leaves rest upon solid objects near them, it can be seen that they have 

 been stiff leathery and consequently winter-green. The margins are always quite entire without the slightest 

 dentation, either straight or more or less crispy. In the axils between the mid-rib and the secundary 

 nerves can in all well preserved leaves domaties quite agreeing with those of recent laurel-leaves still be 

 distinctly seen. The course of the tertiai-y nerves, which are in the different leaves more or less 

 prominent, and especially the systems formed by the smallest veinlets in every I'espect resemble modern 

 LflHrHS-leaves. I have compared my fossil leaves with the great mateiials of L. nnhilis in the hei'baria 

 of the University and the Hofmusilum at Vienna, and have theie found modern parallels to all the foi'ms 

 lepresented in my fossil collection. Prof. Wettstein was kind enough to procure from the neighboui'hood 

 of Abbazzia in Tstria especially for my use large quantities of laurel-leaves, such as they drop from the 

 trees in modern laurel- forests. After having carefully examined this very instructive sample, I became 

 convinced, that the polymorphy of the leaves in the laui'el-tree is much greater than generally supposed. 

 The different foi'ms are, however, probably of little systematical value, as leaves of most different shape 

 often occur on the same branch. It seems to be a general rule, that the leaves on the lower part of 

 each year's shoots have more rounded ends, and often also broader bases, than those developed later in 

 the summer. In order better to show the great amplitude of vai-iation for the laurel-leaves, a series of 

 leaves from Abbazzia is dehneated in fig. 67 a— b. Under these circumstances it cannot awake astonish- 

 ment, that the same forms of leaves are also met with together in a fossil deposit. — The greatest and 

 broadest leaves in my material have a considerable resemblance with those of L. canariensis Webb, a 

 species which now only grows on the Makaronesian islands but is indicated from the quarternary tufa- 

 deposits of the Provence, Lipari and Toscana.') However, I cannot find any necessity to refer them to 

 that species, as quite similar leaves also not seldom occur in L. nohilis; and it seems much more probable, 

 that they belong to a broad-leaved form of the common laurel (vai-. latifolia Nees).— The leaves of this 

 species were especially fi-equent in the deepest parts of the tufa (niveau a), but also occurred in niveau b 

 and, although very rarely, in niv. c. 



Plataniis orientalis L. (Fig. G6 a - b). In ail different levels of the deposit, from the bottom to 

 the uppei' surface, the large, easily recognized leaves of this ti'ce were met with in great number; especially they 

 were frequent in the youngest strata. In several cases I succeeded in preparing out almost whole leaves; 

 the resemblance with modern platanus-leaves appeared to be complete. All leaves, of which sufficiently 

 large parts are preserved, belong to the variety with deeply cleft leaves and long sharp teeth (var. iimtlnris 

 Alph. DC), which is at present so widely distributed in the eastern Mediterianoan countries, and is also 

 common in Cyprus. 



?Ceratouia Siliqiia L. In the deepest part of the tufa in the profile nearest to the Kyrcnia- 

 pass I found a single leaflet, which has great resemblance with those of the carob tree, and pi'obably 

 belongs to this species. But as the course of the smallest veinlets cannot be seen distinctly, on account of 

 bad preservation, the detei'mination must be considered as dubious. 



1) A. ScuENK, Pakfupljytolugie. p. 49t;i. iliiucheu u. Leipzig 1S90. 



i 



