30 BULLETIN 103, UNITED STATES NATIONAL MUSEUM. 



ing subparallel pairs; they diverge from the midrib at acute angles 

 and are subparallel with the lower lateral margins, eventually camp- 

 todrome. Tertiaries obsolete. 



This species is unfortunately represented by fragmentary remains 

 inadequate for conclusive identification. The genus Myristica Lin- 

 naeus contains about two score existing species, rather more than half 

 being American tropical forms, now often segregated into several 

 genera. Many are insular and coastal forms, Schimper recording 4 

 species in the Indomalayan strand flora and several species ranging 

 eastward in the Pacific to the Fiji, Tonga, and Samoan Islands, and 

 their fruits are recorded by both Gaudichaud and Guppy in the sea 

 drift, although the oriental species are normally distributed by fruit 

 pigeons (Mosley. TIemsley, Guppy). 



De Candolle and Miquel both considered the foliage, especially the 

 venation, as offering the best criteria for differentiation, but in the 

 absence of comparative material and the incomplete character of the 

 Panama fossil it is not possible to apply these criteria. The xVmerican 

 Eecent species number about 25, and these are mainly South Ameri- 

 can in their distribution, although the sections or genera Virola 

 Aublet and Compsoneura De Candolle both occur in Central America. 



The distribution of the Recent species in tropical America, Asia, 

 and Africa is conclusive evidence of a Tertiary history, although this 

 evidence is practically unknown. Geyer 1 described two forms of leaf 

 fragments from the Miocene of Labuan (Borneo) and Engelhardt 2 . a 

 third from the Tertiary of Ecuador and Chile. The most conclusive 

 evidence of their Tertiary radiation is furnished by the characteristic 

 fruits described recently by the writer 3 and preserved in the wind- 

 blown sands of the uppermost Eocene of Texas. 



Occurrence.— Culebra formation (upper part). East wall of Gail- 

 lard Cut just north of Canal Commission station 1760 (collected by 

 M. I. Goldman). 



Order ROSALES. 



Superfamily LEGUMINOSAE. 



Genus TAENIOXYLON Felix. 



TAENIOXYLON MULTIRADIATUM Felix. 



Plates 14 and 15. 

 Taenioxylon miiltiradiatum Felix, Die fossilen Holzer Westindiens. 

 Sammi. palaeont Abh.. ser. 1, Heft 1, p. 11, pi. 1. figs. 10, 11; pi. 2. 

 fig. 10, 1883. 



Transverse section. — In a radial distance of 5 cm. there are no 

 definite annual or seasonal rings. In certain zones the vessels are 



1 Geyler, H. T., Vega Expedition, vol. 4, p. 498, pi. 33, figs. 3-6, 1887. 



2 Engelhardt, H., Abh. Senck. Naturf. Gesellsch., vol. 16, p. 663, pi. 6, fig. 9 ; pi. 

 fig. 12, 1S91 ; vol. 19, p. 13, pi. 1, fig. 21, 1895. 



3 Berry, E. W., Amor. Journ. Sci., ser. 4, vol. 42, pp. 241-245, figs. 1-6, 1916. 



