THE EVIDENCE OF THE FLORA REGARDING THE AGE 

 OF THE RARITAN FORMATION 



EDWARD W. BERRY 

 Johns Hopkins University 



Since it has been supposed by some invertebrate paleontologists 

 that the Atlantic and Eastern Gulf Cretaceous above the Patapsco 

 formation of the Maryland- Virginia area is all of post- Colorado age, 

 i.e., Senonian by European standards, and since the faunas are for 

 the most part poorly preserved and but partially studied, and further- 

 more since the physical conditions were more uniform than in the 

 great plains area as indicated by the character of the sediments and 

 strongly emphasized by the faunas, the following conclusions based 

 upon a critical study of the Raritan flora may prove of interest to 

 geologists since they clearly indicate that this flora when judged by 

 European standards cannot be considered younger than the Turonian, 

 while a strong case can be made out for its Cenomanian age. Further- 

 more when judged by American standards it is most decidedly pre- 

 Montana in character. 



No attempt is made to make the following brief article polemical 

 in character, and hence arguments which might be drawn from 

 stratigraphy and paleozoology are not mentioned, it being the desire 

 of the writer to place a brief statement of the paleobotanical evidence 

 before the public. 



The following pages form part of a systematic report on the flora 

 of the Raritan formation in New Jersey prepared over a year ago and 

 to be published by the Geological Survey of that state, and the writer 

 is indebted to the kindness of Dr. Henry B. Kiimmel, the state 

 geologist, for permission to publish them in advance of the complete 

 report. 



Passing over the somewhat diverse views of the older writers who 

 were inclined to regard the Raritan as of Jurassic age,' we find Professor 



I This age was also claimed for it by the late Professor O. C. Marsh in several 

 papers published a score of years ago. 



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