THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE CRETACEOUS DAKOTA GROUP. 243 



GEOLOGY 



THE FOSSIL FLORA OF THE CRETACEOUS DAKOTA GROUP 



OF KANSAS. 



BY CHAS. H. STERNBERG. 



During March and April of the present year, I was employed by Professor 

 Agassiz in the Dakota Group of Kansas, having charge of an exploring party., 

 I have been very successful, collecting 800 specimens, representing nearly all the 

 species of the Dakota Group and a great many new species. 



Professor Lesquereux, the noted palseobotani?t, has examined the collection, 

 and described the new species. To Prof. Agassiz he says, "Your (my) collec- 

 tion was very valuable, not only by the number of new species, but also by the 

 beauty and fine preservation of the specimens, from which the specific characters 

 as to the variation of types might be studied with great advantage to science." 

 To me he writes, "I have been delighted to see some very fine, new species; 

 especially four new species of Liriodendron, (tulip tree,) one from Elkborn Creek, 

 L. Cruciformce ; three from Glasgow, L. Acuminatum, L. Semi-Alatum, and L. 

 Pennatipdum, and there is an entirely well preserved Liriodendron Giganteum, which 

 is known from one lobe only figured in the Cretaceous flora." 



The Liriodendon was known in the Dakota Group by several species, but very 

 few specimens. L. Cruciformce is an anchor-shaped leaf, with an upper pair of lobes 

 cut square at apex, the two basilar lobes are separated from the upper ones by a 

 narrow sinus, and are long, with accute points that are recurved and nearly 

 touch the upper lobes. Another species has all four lobes with acute apeices. 

 Still another have the lobe cut down nearly to midrib, with no intervening sinus 

 or one only a few lines in length. Of the three species of the tulip tree, Z. 

 Meekii, L. Intermedium and L. Giganieum, only the last is found in Kansas, and 

 only one lobe was known to science, heretofore. So we have added a genus 

 and a number of species to the Kansas Dakota Flora. We have also discovered 

 fine specimens belonging to the genera Menospermitcs, and magnolia of the order 

 Folycarpicice. The tulip tree belongs to this order. Menospermites is especially 

 well represented by numerous species and well preserved specimens, especially 

 M. Obtusiloba, and AI. Cyclophylla. Of the Cycadcs, we have a new species of 

 Podozamites : in the order Pi/ices, we have Gleichenia and Todea. T. Saporteana, 

 is represented by a number of fine specimens. The order Zamice. has one species 

 of Pterophyllum. The Coniferce, have fine specimens of Sequoia (Red Wood). 

 Glyptostrobus, (Bald Cypress). 



All the known genera of the Dakota Group of the order CteoidecB, are repre- 

 sented by fine specimens, Liquidani Ara (or Aralia) integrefolia, Populites lirigeosa, 



