41 
ClNNAMOMUM LEICHHAKDTII, SJl. HOV. 
Plate III, Fig. 1. 
Sp. Char . — C. foliis coriaceis rigidis oblongis, apice angustatis, margine 
integerrimis ; nervatione acrodroma ; nervo primario pervalido, recto apicem 
versus angustato ; nervis secundariis validis, basilaribus apicem attingentibus, 
reliquis subangulis acutis orientibus, rectis vel paull o arcuatis, inter se 
remotis, cum basilaribus anastomosantibus ; nervis tertiariis distinctis trans- 
vcrsis. 
Ohs. — A leaf belonging, no doubt, to Cinnamomvm ; but not referable 
to the above described leaf of C. polymorplioides, the venation showing several 
striking differences. The fragment resembles the upper portion of an oblong 
leaf, whose apex is narrowed. The very prominent margin and the strong 
principal veins indicate the rigid and coriaceous nature of the leaf. The 
venation shows on either side a perfectly acrodromic basal vein, which is 
connected, at least in the upper portion of the leaf, with the other secondary 
veins. These latter are almost rectilinear, and scarcely reduced in thickness. 
The tertiary veins are distinctly visible, and transverse. This species reminds 
one of Cinnaniomum spectahile, Heer, which has, however, smaller and 
shorter leaves, with more strongly developed tertiary veins. 
Among hitherto known large-leaved forms of tertiary species of 
Cinnaniomum, the C. mississippiense, Lesq., of the tertiary of North America, 
and C. Kami, Heer, sp.,* of the Tertiary Flora of the Arctic Zone, may he 
regarded as related species. 
* The magnificent laurinaceous leaves which were discovered in the Tertiary Strata of Atanekerdluk, in 
North Greenland, and described and figured as Daphnogene Kanii (Flora Fossilis Artica, vol. i, p. 113, PI. XIV, 
figs. 1-5, and PI. XVI, fig. 1), are declared by O. Heer to be distinct from Cinnamomum, on account of the petiole 
being thickened at the point of its insertion in the leaf, and the absence of continuous veinlets in the central 
principal areas, and finally because of the presence of intermediate lines traversing the principal areas of the leaf. 
As regards the petiole, it is found in all Cinnaniomum leaves with basal principal veins, comparatively 
thicker than in this instance, as well as in those Cinnaniomum leaves in which there are usually no basal veins 
beyond the primary one, and in a few exceptional cases where the lower secondary veins are basal. Compare, for 
example, the leaf of Cinnamomum polymorphum (Heer's Tertiary Flora of Switzerland, vol. ii, PI. XCIII, fig. 25). 
A glance at those Cinnamomum leaves, in which no basal principal veins occur, except the primary, will be 
sufficient to convince us that the primary nerve is thickened as far as the origin of the strong lowest secondary 
veins ; indeed, I have often observed a distinct swelling at this point. When the petiole, or primary nerve, 
sends out stronger veins into the leaf, a considerable weakening must l-esult, leaving the petiole, or primary 
nerve, proportionately thicker below the dividing point, where again the divergence and production of the basal 
veins may cause a local swelling of the petiole, or primary nerve. Concerning this swelling of the petiole at its 
insertion into the leaf, which Heer considers of so much importance, it is only very slight in the leaf of PI. XIV, 
fig. 1 (loc. cit.), and in the basal portion PI. XVI, fig. 1, it only appears distinct above the point of insertion. In 
the basal fragment, PI. XIV, fig. 2, the petiole occurs just at the line of fracture, and the swelling referred to, 
supposing the missing portion to be restored, would appear to be also inconsiderable. But this slight swelling of 
the petiole at the point of departure of stronger basal veins occurs, not only in larger Cinnamomum leaves, but 
also in the leaves of many other species (compare, for example, Ettingshausen, Blattskelete der Apetalen, PI. I, 
fig. 1, and PI. IV, fig. 1), showing plainly that it is caused by the production of diverging basal veins. The 
cinnamon-like leaves from Atanekerdluk, therefore, as regards the properties of the petiole, present nothing that 
is uncommon, or on which any generic difference can be founded. 
When Heer states (p. 113) in the work quoted that there are no continuous veinlets in the central principal 
areas, he can only mean that the veinlets are generally branching, because non-branching, and therefore con- 
11« 67—88 H 
