352 



SEQtrOIINEAE 



[CH. 



Conites ovalis (Carruthers). 



The type-specimen from the Gault of Folkestone^ is an oval 

 cone 6 cm. long and about 2-5 cm. in 

 diameter; the scales are cuneate and the 

 exposed ends transversely elongated and 

 hexagonal (fig. 766). It bears a close 

 resemblance to Geinitzia gracillima, but in 

 the absence of any details with regard to 

 anatomical features or seeds the non-com- 

 mittal name Conites is employed. 



Sequoiites Holsti Conwentz ex Nathorst MS. 

 This species^, from the Holma sand- 

 stone (Senonian) of Sweden, is founded on 

 fragments of foliage-shoots covered with 

 spirally disposed, appressed, broadly tri- 

 angular leaves. The specimens are not well 

 enough preserved to show in detail the ana- 

 tomical features, but Conwentz considers 

 such characters as he was able to recognise 

 favourable to Nathorst' s adoption of the 

 generic name Sequoiites. The species is, 



however, not above suspicion as a record of a Conifer closely 

 allied to Sequoia. 



Sequoiites Langsdorfii (Brongniart). 



Brongniart^ instituted this Tertiary species under the generic 

 name Taxites, and Heer* in his description of foliage-shoots from 

 Miocene beds in Switzerland adopted the designation Sequoia. In 

 habit S. Langsdorfii is practically identical with Sequoia senipervirens 

 and by many authors it is spoken of as the direct ancestor of the 

 recent species. Under this species Schimper^ includes a fairly long 

 list of synonyms — species referred to Taxites, Taxodium, Cupres- 

 sites, and other genera — which serves to emphasise the fact that 

 impressions of sterile branches with distichous, linear, leaves cannot 



Fig. 766. Conites ovalis. 

 (After Carruthers; nat. 

 size. ) 



1 Carruthers (71) p. 3, with text-figure. 



2 Conwentz (92) p. 28, Pis. m., iv., viii. 



3 Brongniart (28) A. p. 108. 

 5 ScMmper (72) A. p. 216. 



■■ Heer (5.5) A. p. 54, Pis. xx., xxi. 



