412 



ON SPECIES OF FOSSIL PLANTS 



and between these, there arc still three to five very fine veinlets, thus forming a tricom- 

 pound, parallel nervation. The rachis is proportionally narrow, about one-fourth of an 

 inch broad, and is narrowly furrowed in the middle. 



The only fossil plant known as being evidently related to this species is Calarnopais 

 Bredana, Heer, Flor. Helvet. Tcrt. Ill, p. 169, PI. cxlix, from (Eningen. It differs essen- 

 tially from the American plant by its nervation, which is only a compound of two kinds 

 of veins, and by its narrow leaflets, which are placed somewhat in pairs. The European 

 species has, like ours, the ribbon-like leaflets narrowed at the base, appearing also, from 

 the figures, sometimes slightly decurrent. 



This plant is referable to the Palm family ; but no living species is known, which can 

 be compared to it. 



2. Sabal Grayana, Spec. nov. PI. xiv, Fig. 4, 5, (3. S. frondc petiolata, rachidc in piano posteriore sub- 

 plana, c basi dilatata ovata, lineari cuspidata 6-8 policari ; foliis flabelliformibus, radiis numerosis, eloagatis, sensim 

 dilatatis, nervulis distantibus, graeilimis. 



Soft white clay. 



The specimens figured indicate the form of a whole leaf. The rachis contracted just 

 at its base, is abruptly enlarged above and then tapers upwards into a long linear point. 

 The rays, about one-eighth of an inch broad near their point of union to the rachis, grad- 

 ually enlarge upwards. Fig. 6 shows them to be already one inch ; on some broken pieces 

 of specimens they are two inches broad. Though the nervation is distinct, the veinlets 

 are not strongly marked, and they are rather at a distance from each other, their number 

 varying from five to ten, according to the breadth of the rays. This greater distance of 

 the thinner veinlets, the peculiar contraction of the base of the rachis, and the broader 

 rays, are the only appreciable characters which separate this species from Sabal major, 

 Heer, a fossil plant whose remains are abundant in the Miocene of Europe. Small frag- 

 ments of a species indescribable, but evidently different from this one, have been collected 

 at Nanaimo, Vancouver's Island, by Dr. John Evans. 



3. Salisburia binervata, Spec. nov. PI. xv, Fig. 3 to 6. S. foliis subquadratis, polymorphs, e basi rotun- 

 data nbrupte attcnuatis, supernc dilatatis, truncatis, lobatis vel lacerato-divisis, margine undulatis; nervis primariis 

 binis, angulo vario e basi divcrgentibus, secundariis c primariis sub angulo acuto cgrcdiontibus, diohotomis. 



Red shale. 



It is not easy to get an idea of the true form of this species from the mere fragments 

 which have been found. Evidently these leaves were polymorphous, as they are now in 

 the living species of S<xlishuria. They were apparently about square, with a round decur- 

 rent base, the sides undulate and the upper part truncate and cut in irregular divisions. 

 The nervation of these leaves is peculiar. Two distinct primary nerves diverge from the 



