EOCENE FERNS. 



63 



5. Pteris Bournensis, Ett. 8f Gard. (Page 33.) 



This is rather an unsatisfactory species, and should be included with a large number 

 of other so-called species from the Tertiaries. These forms Avhen united would be an 

 even more extensive group than the last, and, unlike it, are met with fossil in the far north. 

 It seems to figure under at least five names in the ' Flora Helvetica,' and is almost equally 

 well represented in Austria and France. By omitting a trifling character, Heer unites 

 a specimen from Atane with one of the Swiss forms. The living P. aquilina, to which 

 it is allied, is found, not only in all temperate zones and in the Tropics, but, like the 

 fossil, passes into the Arctic Circle. Owing to the variability of the pinnae the Uving 

 Fern also has an extensive synonomy. 



6. WooDWARDiA ? VENOSA, Ett. Sf Gard. (Page 41.) 



The British fossil species is founded upon a small fragment, barely sufficient to show 

 that, if truly belonging to Woodwardia, it differs completely from the better-known 

 fossil form and falls into the group of Lorinseria, Pres., of which W. areolata, Moore., a 

 native of the United States, from Massachusetts to Florida, and IF. Harlandii, Ilk., from 

 Honkong, are the only existing types. Unger's Aquitanian species, W. BcBSsneriana , 

 from Austria and Switzerland, is known from fine specimens with venation and sori 

 beautifully preserved, and, together with very similar forms from the Lignitic Eocene of 

 America, belong to the monotypic group of Eawoodwardia. They agree almost precisely 

 with W. radicans, which still inhabits Southern Europe, Northern India, Java, Japan, 

 California, Mexico, and Guatemala. The same species has been found in the Pliocene of 

 Meximieux and in the Quarternary of Madeira. JFoodwardites arcticus, of Heer, from 

 Greenland, is transferred to Onoclea (page G8). 



7. GoNioPTERis BuNBURii, Heer. (Page 38, under name Phegopteris.) 



This species represents a type which appeared in Europe in the Middle Eocene, and 

 survived until the Miocenes,^ but has not yet been met with in any of the Arctic or 

 American fossil floras. It is distinguished from the next and far commoner type by its 

 angulated and much anastomosing veins. It apparently closely approaches some of the 

 varieties of G. diver sifolium and G. tetragonum, of Brazil, but the persistent absence of sori 



' G. polypodioides and G. Oeningense appear identical with it. 



