THE FLORA, 



107 



Quercus castanoides Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus dryandraefolia Von der Marck. 

 Quercus euryphylla Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus formosa Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus heiracifolia Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus iliciformis Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus rhomboidalis Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus sphenobasis Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus westfalica latior Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Quercus westfalica oblongata Hosius and Von der 



Marck. 

 Quercus westfalica obtusata Hosius and Von der 



Marck. 

 Cf. Rhamnus sp. 



Sequoia reichenbachi (Geinitz) Heer. 

 Taenidium alysoides Hosius and Von der Marck. 

 Tetraphyllum dubium Hosius and Von der Maick. 

 Thalassocharis westfalica Hosius and Von der 



Marck. 



This flora comprises 56 forms, only one of 

 which, Sequoia reichenbachi, is found in the 

 Laramie. This is without special significance, 

 for this species enjoys a world-wide distribu- 

 tion and ranges in age from Jurassic to upper- 

 most Cretaceous. A number of genera, such as 

 Ficus, Laurus, Myrica, Populus, and Quercus, 

 are common to the two, but the species are all 

 perfectly distinct and apparently unrelated. 

 It appears to the writer that the Maestrichtian 

 flora is much more closely related to the 

 Montana flora. This is especially shown by 

 the common presence of certain conifers, such 

 as Cunninghamites, Frenelopsis, and Sequoia 

 reichenbachi. Be this as it may, the Mae- 

 strichtian certainly has no particular relation- 

 ship with the flora of the Laramie. 



THE FLORA. 



Phylum THALLOPHYTA. 

 Delesseria fulva Lesquereux. 



Plate I, figure 4 (type). 



Delesseria fulva Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. and Geog. Sur- 

 vey Terr. Ann. Rept. for 1872, p. 376, 1873; idem 

 for 1873, p. 379, 1874; idem for 1876, p. 496, 1878; 

 Tertiary flora: U. S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., 

 vol. 7, p. 39, pi. 1, fig. 10, 1878. [Lesquereux's 

 original figure of the type is here reproduced.] 



The type of this species is No. 9 of the United 

 States National Museum collection of fossil 

 plants and appears to be the only example 

 ever obtained. It is preserved on a fine- 

 grained hard white sandstone, on which it 

 stands out in bold relief, being itself of a 

 reddish-brown color. 



Occurrence: Laramie formation, Golden, 

 Colo., under or between coal beds. 



Phylum PTERIDOPHYTA. 



Order FIXICALES. 



Family POLYPODJACE.ffi. 



Onoclea fecunda (Lesquereux) Knowlton. 



Plate I, figures 2, 3. 



Caulinites fecimdus Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. and Geog. 

 Survey Terr. Ann. Rept. for 1872, p. 384, 1873; 

 idem for 1873, p. 380, 1874; idem for 1876, p. 501, 

 1878; Tertiary flora: U. S. Geol. Survey Terr. 

 Rept., vol. 7, p. 101, pi. 14, figs. 1-3, 1878. [Les- 

 quereux's original figures are here reproduced.] 



Onoclea fecunda (Lesquereux) Knowlton, U. S. Geol. 

 Survey Bull. 152, p. 153, 1898. 



Fertile frond contracted, closely pinnate; 

 main rachis broad (2 millimeters), smooth, 

 divided into opposite erect branches which 

 bear on each side thickly set short-pediceled 

 simple spherical "capsules" (sporangia); sterile 

 portion not known. 



The type specimens of this plant are pre- 

 served in the United States National Museum 

 (Nos. 120, 121). Their original reference to 

 the genus Caulinites was a matter of uncer- 

 tainty, for Lesquereux in his first mention 

 says, 21 "This relation to species of our time 

 is unknown, " and later 22 adds: 



It is very questionable if these fine fruiting branches 

 may be referred to this genus. They have this in common 

 only — a monospermous (?) nucula with a cellulose enve- 

 lope. As I have been unable to find either in the fossil 

 species described until now or in the collection of living 

 plants which I was able to consult anything to which 

 they had apparent relation, I have left them in this as 

 yet vaguely defined genus. 



No additional material has been obtained 

 since that described by Lesquereux, and it is 

 perhaps hazardous to transfer these specimens 

 to another genus, but all things being taken 

 into account, the suggestion of the late Joseph 

 F. James 23 that they closely resemble the 

 fruiting frond of the living Onoclea sensibilis 

 seems to justify the change. When the fossil 

 and living plants are placed side by side it is 

 seen that the resemblance is striking and 

 suggestive. The fossil has the same pinnate 

 branching and opposite, contiguous, short- 



2i U. S. Geol. and Geog. Survey Terr. Ann. Rept. lor 1S72, p. 384, 1873. 



22 The Tertiary flora: U. S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 101, 

 1878. 



23 Science, vol. 3, p. 433, flg. la, 1884. 



