468 Systematic Paleontology 



formation of Wyoming. ISTo specimens of Sapindopsis are known from 

 either the Patnxent or Arundel formations or their equivalents in other 

 parts of Forth America. It is true that Professor Fontaine described 

 Sapindopsis cordaia from Fredericksburg, Virginia, but this material, 

 which is very poor, is obviously not related to this genus, while the record 

 of Sapindopsis elliptica from Fredericksburg by the same author is based 

 upon the remains of Bogersia longifolia Fontaine. The genus is notably 

 absent from the fossiliferous Patapsco beds at Federal Hill, Md., but 

 when present at a locality it usually occurs in the greatest abundance, as 

 at Fort Foote, Maryland, or in the vicinity of Brooke, Virginia, where 

 hundreds of specimens often of great perfection have been collected. 



In modification of the diagnosis quoted above, it may be said that the 

 vast majority of the leaves are abruptly pinnate and the terminal leaflets 

 while usually confluent and deeurrent are sometimes petiolate, Sapin- 

 dopis magnifolia in particular furnishing many individuals lacking the 

 decurrently winged rachis. 



The most closely related plants to Sapindopsis in the modern flora 

 are the various genera of American tropical Sapindaceffi. Among these 

 the genus Matayta Aubl. approaches very near to the Cretaceous form. 

 Matayha embraces species with both opposite and alternate leaflets hav- 

 ing either entire or dentate margins. The rachis lacks definite alge but 

 it is somewhat flattened with a vestigial wing on each side in the form 

 of a raised line which is wider at the point of origin of the leaflets and 

 deeurrent to the next lower leaflets. So many other genera of the Sapin- 

 dacege have markedly alate rachises that the presumption is strong that 

 this genus or its ancestors were at some time similarly provided. The 

 most similar species seems to be Matayha ap&tala (Macf.) Eadlk., in 

 which the leaflets are usually more numerous than in Sapindopsis 

 although some specimens show but 3 pairs, those with 4 pairs 

 are common; they are sometimes subopposite and as many as 

 7 pairs are met with. The venation is exactly like that of the fossils as 

 is the texture of the leaves and their limits of variation. Another 

 closely related species is Mataylja Domingensis Radlk., also a native of 

 the West Indies. 



