404 E. JT". Berry — Fruits of a Date Palm in tin 



nearly circular in transverse section and about l cm in diameter. 

 A smaller specimen shows a length of about 2 - 5 cm and a 

 diameter of 8 mm . The larger of these seeds shows the central 

 hilum, the deep longitudinal sinus on the opposite side, the 

 transverse lamellated structure exactly comparable to that of a 

 modern date seed and the finely corrugated surface coat iden- 

 tical with that of a dried seed of a modern date. The smaller 

 specimen, while not so perfect, shows the general form and 

 sinus and the lamellated structure. There can be no doubt 



Fig. l. 



Fig. 1. Top side and end view of type of Phoenicites occidentalis (nat. 

 size). 



that these remains are those of a Phoenix-like fruit and it is 

 confidently expected that the foliage will eventually be dis- 

 covered, in fact some of the fragments of palm-rays found at 

 this and other horizons in our southern Tertiary may repre- 

 sent this foliage. Petrified wood of several species of palms 

 is exceedingly abundant in these beds, and while the study of 

 palm woods has not progressed to a point where one can speak 

 with certainty of the generic relations of the petrified woods, 

 it is significant that wood of several different species occurs at 

 this horizon. 



While the geologic record is confessedly incomplete, a num- 

 ber of fossil species of Phoenix-like forms have been described, 

 in fact there are more fossil than recent species. These are 

 usually referred to the genus Phoenicites of Brongniart as in 

 the present case, although some students refer them directly 

 to the genus Phoenix of Linne. The previous fossil occur- 

 rences are all European and are based on leaves and inflores- 

 cence. In 1886 Conwentz* described a flower preserved in 

 perfection in the Baltic amber and the staminate inflorescence 

 of another species is associated with splendid leaves in the 

 Eocene of the Paris basin. f The oldest known form comes 

 from the middle or upper Eocene of the Paris basin, while in 



* Conwentz, Fl. Bernsteins, vol. ii, p. 8, pi. 1, figs. 6-9, 1886. 

 ■f Saporta, Essai pi. foss arkoses de Brives, p. 25, pi. 1, 1878. 



