CHAPTER XLIV. 



CONIPERALES (FOSSIL). 



The task of deciphering the fragmentary remains of Conifers 

 is particularly difficult and no branch of palaeobotanical research 

 makes greater demands upon the patience and self-control of the 

 student. As Saporta says, 'Aucune etude n'ouvre des perspec- 

 tives plus etendues, mais aucune aussi n'exige plus de reserve et de 

 tatonnements^.' The determination of impressions of ill-preserved 

 vegetative shoots is often impossible and it is regrettable that many 

 authors have been too ready to employ generic names denoting 

 identity or close relationship with recent types on wholly inade- 

 quate grounds. A recent writer thus sums up the situation 

 created by an excessive faith in superficial resemblances and a 

 lack of familiarity with existing representatives of the group: — ■ 

 'Where a knowledge of reproductive parts is lacking, chaos reigns 

 supreme.' It may be added that impressions or casts of cones in 

 many cases do not afford any real assistance. A comparison of 

 the various forms of foliage-shoots and strobili met with among 

 recent Conifers demonstrates the danger' of placing confidence 

 in external resemblance as a guide to affinity. It is seldom that 

 reproductive organs are well enough preserved to enable us to 

 recognise features of primary systematic value. Though little 

 has so far been done to test the value of epidermal characters as 

 aids to identification, such results as have been obtained^ favour 

 the conclusion that this line of investigation promises to be less 

 fruitful for Conifers than for Cycadean plants. Petrified wood of 

 the Conifer type is abundant in plant-bearing strata from the later 

 Palaeozoic rocks upwards, and considerable pains have been taken 

 to utilise to the full this source of information. Within wide 

 limits anatomical characters are undoubtedly valuable, but the 

 recent tendency to subdivide comprehensive genera, which are 



1 Saporta (62) p. 309. ^ Holden, R. (15^). 



