ANGIOSPERMiE. 1 555 



Order 18. Myrtiflor^e. — In the Onogracece the well-known 

 genus Trapa (Water-chestnut), characterised by its peculiar spiked 

 fruits and now confined to the Old World, makes its first known 

 appearance in the Laramie Cretaceous of the United States, while 

 in Europe it dates from the Upper Eocene (Lower Oligocene). 

 Curiously enough T. borealis of the Tertiary of Alaska and the 

 Laramie stage is allied to the existing Oriental T. bispinosa, and 

 not to the four-spined European species ; the writer has seen speci- 

 mens from the Pliocene Siwaliks of Perim Island which probably 

 belong to T. bispinosa. The family Halorhagidacece is not known 

 before the Pleistocene ; while there is only very doubtful evidence 

 as to the occurrence of the Combretacece, Lythrariacece, and Melas- 

 tomacece in a fossil state, although plants from the Eocene of Pro- 

 vence have been referred to Terminalia (C ombre tacece), and the name 

 Melastomites has been applied to others from the Westphalian Cre- 

 taceous. In the Myrtacece, however, we have a large number of 

 fossil forms ; thus Myrtus (Myrtle) dates from the Upper Eocene of 

 Provence, while an apparently allied Cretaceous type has received 

 the name of Myrtophyllum. The genus Metrosideros, which includes 

 several climbing species, and is now characteristic of the Moluccas 

 and the Australasian region, appears to be represented in Europe 

 from the Cretaceous to the Miocene ; while Eucalyptus (Gum-tree), 

 of Australia, occurs in the Laramie Cretaceous and the European 

 Tertiaries. Finally, Callistemophyllum and Leptospermites are ex- 

 tinct European Tertiary types. 



Order 19. Thymelin^e. — In the two families Thymelceacece and 

 EIeag?iacece the Australian genus Pimelea has been recorded from 

 the Lower Tertiary of Europe and the United States, while Daphfie 

 is common in the European Tertiaries. A number of fossil forms 

 have been referred to the large family Proteacea, but since at least 

 in some cases the determinations are doubtful it will suffice to state 

 that plants dating from the Eocene have been referred to the exist- 

 ing genera Dryandra, Banksia, Knightia, Lomatia, Grevilka, and 

 Persoonia ; while as extinct types we have the Cretaceous Dryan- 

 d?-oides, and the Eocene Banksites, Knightites, Embothrites, Loma- 

 tites, &c. ' 



Order 20. Rosiflor.e. — This important order is not well repre- 

 sented in a fossil state, although in some genera a considerable 

 number of species have been described. In the Rosacea, the genus 

 Rosa (Rose) appears to be represented by several Miocene species ; 

 while among the Amygdalacece Prunus (Plum) and A?nygdalus 

 (Almond) certainly date from the Miocene, and are perhaps of ear- 

 lier origin. In the Pomacea Pirus (Pear) would likewise appear to 

 occur in the Miocene, but the North American Cretaceous plant 

 referred to this genus is probably different ; while of other types 

 Amelianchier (Medlar) has been recorded from the Tertiary of 



