344 GEOLOGICAL SURVEY OF THE TERRITORIES. 



SASSAFRAS. 



The remarks in the introduction expose the opinions of paleontologists 

 and the discussion upon the species referred to this generic division 

 from the specimens of the Dakota group. They prove that, though the 

 number of these leaves is very large, their generic reference is still very 

 uncertain. Leaving aside for the present the task of deciding on the 

 evidence in regard to the degree of their relation to Sassafras or Aralia, 

 I shall here describe them provisionally under the generic name of Sas- 

 safras and Sassafras {Araliopsis), placing this group altogether at the 

 end of the Laurinece until we get some more positive information on the 

 subject. 



Sassafras Mudgei, Lesqx., Cret. Flora, p. 78, PI. XIV, figs. 3, 4; PI. 



XXX, fig. 7. 



Leaves proportionally long ; primary nerves narrow, at an acute angle of 

 divergence ; middle lobe twice as long as the lateral one; all ovate-lanceo- 

 late obtusely pointed ; base of the leaves narrowed, acutely cuneate to the 

 'petiole ; surface of the leaves polished. 



Sassafras acutilobum, Lesqx., Cret. Flora, p. 79, PI. XIY, figs. 1, 2. 



Leaves subcoriaceous, of the same consistence as the former species; lat- 

 eral lobes lanceolate, sharply pointed, entire, middle lobe twice as long as 

 the lateral ones, which diverge nearly at right angle ; base of the leaves 

 narrow and tapering. 



The leaves of this and the former division are rare among the speci- 

 mens furnished to me. This so-called species is perhaps a variety of 

 the former. Both were found at the same locality. 

 Sassafras (Araliopsis) cretaceum, Kewby., Cret. Flora, p. 80, 



PI. xir, fig. 2. 



Leaves comparatively of small size, with diverging, obtusely pointed, short 

 lobes, enlarged toivard the broad sinuses ; broadly cuneiform, and deour- 

 ring to the rachis, long petioled ; border entire. 

 Var. dentatum, Cret. Flora, PI. XI, figs. 1,2. 



Differs by the lobes more or less dentate on the borders, and the secondary 

 veins subcamptodrome or mixed. 



Sassafras (Araliopsis) cretaceum obtusum, Lesqx., Cret. Flora, 

 p. SO, PI. XII, fig. 3, PI. XIII, fig. 1. 



Leaves of various size, some of them very large, tcith short obtuse entire 

 lobes, the lateral diverging in an obtuse angle and the nervation coarse and 

 very deep. 



From a number of specimens examined, this form appears truly dis- 

 tinct by its peculiarly broad nervation. Even in the smallest leaves the 

 primary nerves are twice as thick as in the leaves described as Sassafras 

 cretaceum. This character is well marked upon fig. 3 of PI. XII espe- 

 cially. It cannot be considered as a modification resulting from the 

 different face of the leaves preserved by the specimens, as some of these 

 in the collection are double specimens, representing both faces, where 

 the same difference is distinctly remarked. I have also not seen any 

 leaves of this coarse nervation with dental borders; the lobes are always 

 entire. To this division are referable some leaves evidently of the same 

 type, but entire, or not lobed. One of them has been described in Cre- 

 taceous Flora as Sassafras? suMnteyrifolium, p. 82, PL III, fig. 5, which 

 is apparently abnormal or distorted by compression. A number of better 

 specimens represent leaves of this kind nearly entire or broadly oval, with 

 one obscure lobe on one side, or none, and the deep, coarse, broad nerva- 



