486 
Stiles . — The Podoca rpeae. 
Perhaps the most noticeable feature of the distribution of the living 
Podocarpeae is its similarity to that of the Araucarieae . 1 This has been 
regarded 2 as of significance in regard to the view of the near relationship 
of these two orders. We know, however, so little of the causes of present- 
day geographical distribution that it is doubtful what the significance of 
this similarity of geographical distribution is. The Araucarieae were 
probably abundant in the Northern Hemisphere in past times , 3 but on the 
other hand little is known of the past distribution of the Podocarpeae. It 
has been suggested that the Podocarpeae may have been a southern 
offshoot of the Araucarieae , 4 but there does not seem to be evidence either 
in support of, or against this view, from the facts of distribution. 
xiv. Fossil Podocarpeae. 
Very little is known as to the existence of Podocarpeae in past times, 
although many plant remains have been referred to this order. These 
fossils fall into three groups : impressions of leaves and branches, petrified 
wood, and impressions of cones, cone scales, and seeds. 
I. Impressions of Leaves and Branches. 
A good many impressions of leaves and branches have been referred to 
Podocarpus or allied genera ; the more noteworthy of these records are as 
follows : 
Mesozoic . Under the generic name of Protophyllocladus Berry has 
separated the mid and late Cretaceous species formerly included in the 
genus ThinnfeldiaP A relationship to the recent Phyllocladus cannot, 
however, be regarded as by any means proved, for the characters on which 
Berry relies for identification, namely size and shape, petiolation, and 
venation, do not even show that the impressions are those of phyllo- 
clades. Indeed, Berry himself speaks of them as leaves, and mentions that 
Knowlton formerly pointed out the resemblance of Protophyllocladus lanceo- 
latus, (Knowlton) Berry, to various species of Podocarpus . 
From the Potomac or Younger Mesozoic Flora of the United States 
Fontaine has described fourteen species of Nageiopsisp The leaves of 
this genus are parallel-veined, and show a general resemblance to the 
leaves of Podocarpus § Nageia. In a revision of the genus Nagciopsis , 
Berry 7 has reduced Fontaines fourteen species to three. Other species 
have been referred to the same genus by Seward, one from the Wealden 8 
and another from the Inferior Oolite of Yorkshire . 9 However, the parallel 
1 See Seward and P'ord (’06), p. 308, Map. 2 Young (’10), p. 93. 
3 Seward and Ford, 1. c. 4 Coulter and Chamberlain, (’10), p. 351. 
5 Berry (’03), p. 439. 6 Fontaine (’89), p. 195, et seq. 
7 Berry (’10), p. 189. 8 Seward (’95), p. 211. 
9 Seward (’00), p. 288. 
