222 
leaves diverging from the typical Sassafras cre- 
taceum, the form shown in Plate VIII, figure 1, 
of “Later extinct floras” is removed a slight 
distance by the shortening of the blade, the 
thickening of the primaries and secondaries, and 
the shortening and rounding of the lobes (Sassa- 
fras obtusum) ; while a smaller leaf would be its 
logical descendant; and from theseleaves to those 
referred to the typical Cissites salisburiaefolius 
isbutastep. . Inthe third series of leaves diverg- 
ing from the. typical Sassafras cretaceum the 
leaf has its lobes much produced, narrow, and 
running to a sharp point, as in the beautiful 
leaf shown on Plate VII, figure 1, of “Later 
extinct floras,’ which, however, is still referred 
to Sassafras cretaceum. lLesquereux’s Sassa- 
Jras acutilobum does not differ greatly from the 
leaf just mentioned except in the direction of 
the lobes, which is a questionable specific char- 
acter. From this leaf it is no great jump to 
those trilobed forms which are referred to Ara- 
lia wellingtoniana, the chief difference being in, 
the margin. Thus we have an: interrelated 
series connecting those leaves which seem to 
show affinity to Sassafras with those which 
suggest Platanus, on one hand, and with others 
which suggest Cissites and Aralia, on the other. 
While it may be considered probable that 
biologically the forms mentioned in the forego- 
ing paragraphs, as well as others not cited, 
represent the variations of a single species of 
Upper Cretaceous tree or at least represent 
the leaves of closely affiliated species, it seems 
best with reference to systematic and especially 
stratigraphic paleobotany that most of the 
differentiations instituted by Lesquereux be 
perpetuated. Consequently the present series 
is limited to the typical material as defined 
and illustrated by the original describer. 
Falling within these limits are a number of 
occurrences in the true Dakota sandstone and 
the Raritan and Magothy formations of the 
Atlantic Coastal Plain. The Cheyenne sand- 
stone has furnished four specimens obtained 
near Medicine Lodge River, 2 miles west of 
Belvidere (2224), and one specimen from the 
left bank of the middle branch of Champion 
(Wildcat) Draw, half a mile south of Belvidere 
(2229). 
SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1921. 
POSITION UNCERTAIN. 
Genus FEISTMANTELIA Ward. 
Feistmantelia oblonga Ward. 
Plate XLVII, figures 4, 5. 
Feistmantelia oblonga Ward, U.S. Geol. Survey Nineteenth 
Ann. Rept., pt. 2, p. 698, pl. 169, fig. 19, 1899. 
' In not proposing a specific name for the form 
of this genus found in the Cheyenne sandstone 
I emphasize the fact that the term Feistmantelia 
denotes merely a form of preservation and that 
the objects to which it is applied lack either 
stratigraphic or botanic value. 
This genus and in fact the nominal species 
‘ Feistmantelia oblonga were founded by Ward in 
1899 for the reception of certain casts of obscure 
affinities, but evidently of a vegetable nature, 
from the Fuson formation of eastern Wyoming. 
No diagnosis was attempted, but an extended 
discussion was given of somewhat similar forms 
figured by previous authors from various 
geologic horizons. The American Cretaceous 
forms referred to this genus may be character- 
ized as showing. a rather close-set series of 
elliptical, fusiform, or cigar-shaped convex casts 
of concave cavities formed by the rhytidosis 
of various plant tissues. They vary consider- 
ably in size, from 0.6 to 2.5 centimeters in 
length by 0.35. to 1.0 centimeter in width, and 
are arranged in an irregular spiral, the irre- 
gularity being perhaps due to compression. 
They are thus overlapping or alternate in a 
horizontal direction and more or less linear in 
a vertical direction. 
Somewhat similar remains occur at widely 
separated geologic horizons, and comparable 
objects with the markings inclined to be 
rhomboidal in form are not rare in the New 
Jersey Triassic deposits, where they are, ac- 
cording to Newberry,* the decorticated trunks 
of some conifer, possibly Palissya. Similar 
remains are figured by Schauroth®’ as trunks 
of Voltzia coburgensis and by Blanckenhorn® as 
‘trunks of Voltzia heterophylla. 
36 Newberry, J. S., U.S. ‘Geol. Survey Mon. 14, p. 94, pl. 26, figs. 1,2, 
1888. 
3 Schauroth, Deutsch. geol, Gesell. Zeitschr., Band 4, p. 539, 1852. See 
Schenk, August, Palaeontographica, Band'11, p. 308, pl. 46, fig. 2, 1864, 
3% Blanckenhorn, Max, Palaeontographica, Band 32, p. 135, pl. 22, 
figs. 18-20, 1886. : 
