XLVIl] SEQUOIITES 355 



ments of an ancient lake mixed with volcanic ash contain many 

 plant and insect remains and Prof. Cockerell's careful investigations 

 have led to the discovery of several new types^. Staub^ who 

 records the species from Aquitanian beds in Hungary, gives a list 

 of references to other authors. 



Making allowances for doubtful identifications based on sterile 

 branches there remain a sufficient number of authentic records to 

 demonstrate the wide range of this species and allied forms in 

 Europe and the Arctic regions during the Eocene and Miocene 

 periods. S. Langsdorfii is said to occur in beds of Lower Pliocene 

 age in France^ and a minute cone, only 2 by 1-9 mm. has recently 

 been described by Mr and Mrs Eeid from. Pliocene deposits in 

 Holland*. The Dutch specimen is referred to Sequoia with some 

 hesitation and it is suggested it may be an immature cone of an 

 undescribed species, which possibly marks the last appearance of 

 the genus in Europe. 



Sequoiites Couttsiae (Heer). 



This species was founded by Heer^ as Sequoia Couttsiae on 

 material from Oligocene beds which form a basin-shaped depres- 

 sion in the granitic rocks of Dartmoor in Devonshire. The material 

 consists of foUage-shoots (fig. 768, A, B), similar in habit to those of 

 the recent species Sequoia gigantea, and globose or sub-globose 

 cones with peltate scales and winged compressed seeds like those of 

 Sequoia sempervirens. Several seeds are said to occur on each cone- 

 scale. Beust® examined wood from Bovey Tracey in which he 

 found tracheids with separate bordered pits and resinif erous xylem- 

 parenchyma as in the recent species. Mr and Mrs Clement Reid^ 

 have recently investigated the Bovey Tracey material and their 

 conclusion is that ' Sequoia Couttsiae is a true Sequoia and close to 

 the living Sequoia sempervirens and S. gigantea.' They give the 

 following description of the cones: 'Broadly oval and abruptly 

 narrowed into the stalk, or somewhat cordate; at the base are a 

 few small recurved wedge-shaped barren scales, the lower ones 

 having their stalks strongly reflexed, the middle ones with stalks 



1 CookereU (06), (08), (08^), (08'). ^ Staub (87) B. PI. xix. p. 249. 



» Depape (13). « Eeid, C. and E. M. (15) p. 55, PI. i. fig. 13. 



' Heer (62) p. 1051, Pis. lix.— lxi. « Benst (85) PI. in. figs. 1—8. 



' Reid, C. and E. M. (10) p. 170, PI. xv. figs. 23—27. 



23—2 



