234 



Systematic Paleontology 



the apex of the pinnule, although much diminished in calibre. The later- 

 als branch at a wide angle and fork somewhat like those of Laccopteris; 

 anastomosis has not been observed, however. The presence of dormant 

 buds at the ends of the primary axes has not been observed. Fructifi- 

 cation characters unknown. 



This genus, of which the following species is the only one known, is 

 clearly a member of the important Mesozoic fern alliance usually segre- 



FiG. 3. — Sketch map of the world showing the Mesozoic and existing dis- 

 tribution of the family Matoniacese. Circles = Upper Triassic, multiplication 

 sign =: Jurassic, plus sign = Lower Cretaceous, stars = Upper Cretaceous, en- 

 closed dots show present occurrences. 



gated to form the families Gleicheniacege and Matoniacese,^ although the 

 exact line of cleavage between the two, granting that there is such a line, 

 has not been determined with precision for the existing, much less the 

 fossil forms. The pseudo-dichotomy, which is such a characteristic 



^Christ groups these two families in a separate class which he calls 

 Oligangia. Die Farnkrauter der Erde, Jena, 1897, p. 335. 



