98 THE LATER EXTINCT FLORAS OF NORTH AMERICA. 



Order LAURACEjE. 



Sassafras cretaceum Newb. 



PL VI, figs. 1-4 ; VII, figs. 1-3, VIII, figs. 1, 2. 



Ann. N. Y. Lye. Nat. Hist., Vol. IX (April, 1868), p. 14; Ills. Cret. and Tert. PL 



(1878), PL VI, figs. 1-4. 

 S. Mudgii Lesq. Am. Journ. ScL, Vol. XL VI (July, 1868), p. 99 ; S. Mudgei Lesq. 



Cret. Fl. (1874), p. 78, PL XIV, figs. 3, 4 ; XXX, fig. 7. 

 8. subintegrifolius Lesq. Am. Journ. ScL, Vol. XLVI (July, 1868), p. 99; 8. (?) sub- 



integrifolium Lesq. Cret. Fl. (1874), p. 82, PL III, fig. 3 (misquoted fig. 5.) 

 S. Harkeriana Lesq. Hayden's Ann. Rept., 1872 [1873], p. 425; S. HarTcerianum 



Lesq. Cret. Fl. (1874), p. 81, PL XIII, figs. 3, 4; XXVII, fig. 2. 

 S. obtusus Lesq. Hayden's Ann. Rept., 1871 [1872], p. 303; S. obtusum Lesq. Cret. 



Fl. (1874), p. 81, PL XIII, figs. 2-4. 

 Populites salisburicefolia Lesq.? Am. Journ. ScL, Vol. XLVI (July, 1868), p. 94. 

 8. {Araliopsis) cretaceum Newb. var. dentaium Lesq. Hayden's Ann. Rept., 1874 



[1876], p. 344; S. cretaceum Newb. Lesq. in Cret. Fl. (1874), p. 80, PL XI, 



figs. 1, 2. 

 S. acutilobum Lesq. Cret. Fl. (1874), p. 79, PL XIV, figs. 1, 2. 

 S. {Araliopsis) cretaceum Newb. var. obtusum Lesq. Cret. FL (1874), p. 80, PL XII, 



fig. 3 ; XIII, fig. 1. 



"Leaves petiolate, decurrent at base, very smooth above, strongly 

 nerved below; three-lobed; lobes entire and acute. The nervation is all 

 strongly defined; the central nerve straight or nearly so; the lateral 

 primary nerve springing from it at an angle of 3U degrees; secondary 

 nerves regularly arched till they approach the margin of the lobes, when 

 they are abruptly curved and run together. From these the tertiary 

 nerves are given off at a right angle, and from these the quaternary nerves 

 spring at a similar angle, together forming a network of which the areoles 

 are subquadrate." 



Collected by Dr. F. V. Hayden. 



It is perhaps not certain that the relationship between this beautiful 

 fossil and the living Sassafras is as intimate as I have suggested, for Dr. 

 Hayden obtained no fruits with the leaves, though from the abundance of 

 the latter it is to be hoped that they may yet be found in the same locality. 

 Until the fructification shall be procured, the suggestion that a species of 

 our modern genus Sassafras flourished as far back as the epoch of the 



