Ciipressinoxylon Hoolieri, from Tasmania. 11 



closely similar to that of the Tasmanian tree, and such woods are 

 usually included in the form-genus Ciipressinoxylon} 



In Ciipressinoxylon the annular rings are well marked. The 

 bordered pits of the tracheides are separate, usually uniseriate ;: 

 when biseriate the pits are opposite one another. Eesin canals 

 are absent, but resin parenchyma is abundant. 



Cupressinoxylon hoolceri, sp. nov., may be recognized by the following 

 characters. A tree more than 12 feet high, and 3 feet in diameter. 

 Only the woody tissues are known. Annular rings distinct ; the 

 'autumn tracheides' being markedly narrower than the 'spring' 

 elements. Eings narrow, varying somewhat in size, but averaging 

 about -7 mm. in width. 'Summer wood' containing about 15 elements 

 on an average in the ray. ' Autumn wood ' with 4 to 9 or more 

 elements ; dense. Tracheides of considerable length, with uniseriate 

 bordered pits on the radial walls, and often also on the tangential 

 walls. The pits on the latter are sometimes smaller than those on- 

 the radial walls. Occasionally the pits are biseriate, and then the 

 two pits are always opposite. Medullary rays numerous, composed 

 of similar elements, uniseriate or occasionally biseriate, 3 to 14 or 

 more cells in height. The medullary rays communicate with the 

 tracheides, usually by a small simple pit on the radial walls. 

 Occasionally in large medullary ray cells more than one pit occurs, 

 Eesin parenchyma, consisting of continuous rows of thin-walled 

 cells, frequent, especially in the younger elements of the ' spring 

 wood' and in the 'autumn wood.' Usually only one resin cell in 

 each ray of the annular ring. 



This type of woody stem is known from rocks of Jurassic age 

 onwards, and is especially abundant in the Tertiary period.- 

 Perhaps the species which is known in most detail is that 

 described very thoroughly a few years ago by Mr. Barber^ from 

 the Lower Greensand of Shanklin in the Isle of Wight, under 

 the name of Cupressinoxylon vectense. Numerous species have also 

 been described by Knowlton from the Potomac series (Neocomian) 

 of North America, and many others are known from the Tertiary 

 rocks of Europe, North America, and elsewhere. Conifers pos- 

 sessing this type of woody structure are abundantly represented in 

 Australasia at the present time by such genera as Podocarpus and 

 Dacrydium, both of which occur in Tasmania. 



I wish to express my indebtedness to Dr. Smith Woodward, F.E.S.,, 

 Keeper of the Geological Department, for permission to describe 

 this interesting fossil, and for having sections prepared for the 

 examination of its structure. I am also indebted to Dr. Henry 

 Woodward, F.E.S., for having suggested to me an inquiry into the 

 history and nature of the specimen described here. 



1 The grouping together of coniferous woods hy their anatomical characters is fully 

 dealt -with by Schenk in Zittel's " Traite de Paleontologie," pt. ii, Paleophytologie^ 

 1891, p. 838. 



2 Barber : "Annals of Botany," vol. xii (1898), p. 329. 



