1879.] 



On the Fossil Flora of Sheppey. 



391 



eocenica, the most common palm of the Sheppey Flora, is nearly 

 allied to the E. melanococca, and the Livistona eocenica to the L. 

 chinensis. 



I do not vet know whether the Aroidea seed, which I have placed in 

 Aronium, might be united with the Aroidea leaf of Bournemouth. 

 On the other hand, I think it is very likely that some of the kinds of 

 oak fruits correspond with some of the kinds of oak leaves, which are 

 to be met with at Bournemouth. Two of the Bournemouth species are 

 also found in the Miocene Flora, and one of these, Quercus Lonchitis, 

 also in other Eocene Floras. 



A small nut shows all the characters of the Corylus, which is found 

 in the Miocene Flora. The absence of the Fagus is very remarkable, 

 as two kinds of leaves, which can only belong to this genus, have been 

 found in Bournemouth. Fagus is frequently found in the Miocene 

 and Post-Tertiary formations, and also in the Cretaceous formation, 

 and I believe, therefore, that it may still be found in Sheppey. 



The Liquid ambar-fruit of Sheppey may belong to the same species 

 as the inflorescence of Liquidambar, which I found amongst the fossils 

 of Bournemouth. The Laurus-berry, which I have found amongst 

 the Sheppey fruits, is placed by me in Laurus Lalages, the leaves of 

 which have been not only found in Bournemouth, but also in the 

 Austrian Eocene (Sotzka, Hssring), where they occur associated with 

 berries. 



The occurrence of a sp3cies of Xyssa, I think, may be also accepted 

 for the Bournemouth strata. Of the Proteacea?, besides Petrophiloides, 

 a seed belonging to the Protese occurs, perhaps corresponding with 

 the leaf which I have seen among the fossils of Alum Bay- In Bourne- 

 mouth and Alum Bay were found the seeds of some other Proteacea? 

 which are not in Sheppey, as they have delicate wings. Some of the 

 cones referred by Bowerbank to Petrophiloides belong to Sequoia. 



The Gramopetalse are represented by many genera, of which almost all 

 appear also in the Miocene Flora. The fruit of Cinchonidium of Sheppey 

 and the leaves of a species of Cinchonidium from Bournemouth may 

 belong together. I accept the same for the Apocynophyllum fruit of 

 Sheppey and the corresponding leaf of Bournemouth. This last 

 accords in all its characters with A. Beussi, which also appears in the 

 fossil Flora of Sagor. But I have not found up to the present time, in 

 the Eocene Flora of Great Britain, any leaf belonging to the charac- 

 teristic genus Strychnos, the seeds of which are met with at Sheppey. 



Of the Sapotaceee there are two species of seeds, which perhaps cor- 

 respond with two species of Sapotacege leaves of the Bournemouth 

 Flora. One of these extends throughout in the Tertiary Flora ; the 

 other, on the contrary, seems to be peculiar to the Eocene Flora. 

 Also peculiar to this Flora are two species of Diospyros, which are 

 common both to Sheppey and Bournemouth . 



