FOSSIL FLORA. 681. 



Sequoia couttsi.e Heer. 



The material which I incline to refer to this species was found at only 

 one locality within the Park, namely, the northeast side of Crescent Hill. 

 It was abundant and fairly well preserved. It consists of masses of slender 

 branches with short acute appressed leaves, in some cases with recurving 

 or at least spreading tips. In a number of cases the male aments were pre- 

 served. They are on short, slender branches covered with short scales. 

 The aments are made up of few small, irregular scales. 



There is undoubtedly much confusion in regard to this species. Ac- 

 cording to Gardner, 1 much of the material referred to by Heer and others, 

 from Greenland especially, should be relegated to another species, which 

 he proposed to call S. wliymperi. Gardner is also of the opinion that por- 

 tions of the foliage have by various authors been separated as Glyptostrobus 

 ungeri. These, as he points out, are usually associated with Sequoia 

 cones, and are "never accompanied by any trace of the persistent and very 

 distinct cones of Glyptostrobus." I believe this to be true, and conse- 

 quently I would refer to Sequoia couttsics the numerous specimens figured 

 by Lesquereux as Glyptostrobus ungeri, 2 from the Green River group of 

 Florissant, Colorado. I am also of the opinion that the specimens from the 

 Fort Union group, at the mouth of the Yellowstone, described by Newberry 3 

 under the name of Glyptostrobus europceus Brongt, should be placed under 

 Sequoia couttsice. I have never seen any of these specimens, however, and 

 base this conclusion on the figures. I have seen a number of specimens 

 from near the same place, collected in later years, and they seem to bear out 

 this conclusion. Some of the material from the so-called Laramie of Canada 

 also appears to be properly referable to this species. The whole subject 

 needs thorough revision, with specimens at hand from all localities, and 

 until this can be had no determinations can be regarded as final. 



Habitat: Northeast side of Crescent Hill, opposite small pond, Yellow- 

 stone National Park; collected by F. H. Knowlton, August 2, 1888. 



1 Monog. Brit. Eoc. Fl., Vol. II, Pt. I, Gymuospermn", p. 39. 



2 Cret. and Tert. Fl., p. 139, PI. XXII, figs. l-6a. 



3 See Cret. and Tert., PI., XI, figs. 6-8. 



