Bd. III: 14) 
THE MESOZOIC FLORA. 
77 
Branches thick, very gradually tapering, those of higher order given off at wide 
or nearly right angles. Leaves short, triangular, keeled, very thick (about as thick 
as broad), at about right angles to the branch, pointed. 
The habit of the species, as seen in both Feistmantel’s and the Antarctic 
specimens, is very characteristic. The branches look very thick as compared with 
their length and have a very rugged and thorny aspect, caused by the peculiar shape 
of the leaves. These are placed spirally on the axis, are very thick and keeled, so 
that they come to resemble a three-sided pyramid. They are very short, about as 
long as broad, and spread out at right angles to the axis or nearly so. The apex 
of the leaf is sharply pointed and often somewhat curved upwards or downwards. 
Otherwise no details in the shape or arrangement of the leaves can be made out. 
The branches of higher order are given off at about right angles. As the same is 
the case with the leaves, and as the thicker branches taper only imperceptibly to- 
wards their apices, it is often difficult to distinguish which is the upper and which 
the lower end of a specimen. No traces of fructifications have been found in any 
of the specimens. 
