HARVARD UNIVERSITY
Library of the
Museum of
Comparative Zoology
tmaixs of % Uluswm of dfomparatiiw ^oolajgg
AT HARVARD COLLEGE.
Vol. VI. No. 2.
REPORT
FOSSIL PLANTS
OF THE AURIFEROUS GRAVEL DEPOSITS OF
THE SIERRA NEVADA.
By LEO LESQUEREUX.
WITH TEN PLATES.
CAMBRIDGE:
JOHN WILSON AND SON.
tHnibcrsitg %)xcbs.
1878.
REPORT
ON THE
FOSSIL PLANTS
OF THE AURIFEROUS GRAVEL DEPOSITS OF
THE SIERRA NEVADA.
By LEO LESQUEREUX.
WITH TEN PLATES.
CAMBRIDGE:
UNIVERSITY PRESS, JOHN WILSON AND SON.
1878.
University Press :
John Wilson and Son, Cambridge.
INTRODUCTORY NOTE.
During the first three years of the existence of the Geological Survey
of California, large collections of specimens were made in various parts
of the State, and especially in the mining districts of the Sierra Nevada.
Unfortunately these were in part destroyed by fire, and among the mate-
rial thus lost was a fine suite of fossil leaves from the beds underlying
the volcanic deposits of the west slope of the Sierra, and associated with
the auriferous gravels so extensively worked by the hydraulic process.
The loss thus incurred was in part made good by a collection of fossil
plants placed at my disposal by Mr. C. D. Voy of Oakland, the speci-
mens thus furnished forming a portion of the large collection purchased
afterwards from Mr. Voy, and presented to the State University of Cali-
fornia by the liberality of Mr. D. 0. Mills of San Francisco. The speci-
mens in question were subsequently placed in the hands of Mr. Lesque-
reux for description, and to these were added some other materials of
value, chiefly obtained by Mr. Gorham Blake and myself, at the prolific
locality of Chalk Bluffs.
A full account of the formation in which these fossil plants occur
will be found in the writer's "Memoir on the Auriferous Gravel Deposits
of the Sierra Nevada," which will shortly be published as Part I. of
the volume to which the paper herewith presented belongs. It has
been thought best, however, not to delay the issue of the paper of Mr.
Lesquereux, as it forms a nearly independent contribution to the geological
history of the Sierra Nevada, and marks an important addition to our
knowledge of the epoch immediately preceding the present one. giving
as it does a clew to the vegetation, in later Tertiary times, of an exten-
iv INTRODUCTOEY NOTE.
sive region of the western edge of our continent. This paper also offers
a worthy and most desirable supplement to the " Botany of California,"
of which one volume has been already published, while the other and
concluding one is now in the press. All the volumes and memoirs above
mentioned are to be received as a continuation, in part, of the work of
the Geological Survey, stopped by the Legislature in 1874. Permission
has been given to the late State Geologist by the Board of Regents of
the University of California, in whose hands the matter was left, to con-
tinue the publication of the Survey so far as it was in his power to do
so ; and in- this somewhat arduous undertaking he has received valuable
assistance from some of the liberal-minded citizens of San Francisco, to
whom he takes this opportunity of tendering his best thanks.
J. D. WHITNEY.
Dear Sir : —
You will please find herewith the report on the specimens of fossil plants which
you have intrusted to me for examination.
These vegetable remains represent merely leaves which, embedded in a fine-grained
whitish clay or soapstone, are generally, for their outlines at least, in a very good
state of preservation. The areolation of those from the Chalk Bluffs of Nevada
County is, however, generally rendered obsolete by a coat of varnish, which also
gives to them an apparent thickness which may not represent their natural char-
acter. The words "coriaceous" and " subcoriaccous," used in the description of
these leaves, might therefore be taken with some degree of uncertainty. However,
in comparing the leaves of Mr. Voy's collection which have been varnished with
those of the same locality belonging to yourself, and those also of Tuolumne
County which have been left in their original state of preservation, the texture of
all appears of the same consistence.
Except the specimens which are your own property, all the others, under the
name of the Voy Collection, belong to the University of California, and have been
returned to that institution.
Very respectfully yours,
L. LESQUEREUX.
To Prof. J. I). Whitney,
Cambridge, Mass.
DESCRIPTION OF SPECIES.
MONOCOTYLEDONES.
PALM.SJ.
SABALITES, Sternb.
Sabalites Californicus, sp. nov.
PI. I. Fig. 1.
Fragment of a frond with rays of large size, carinate in the lower part, flattened
uptcards ; primary nerves broad and obtuse, secondary veins four to five, nearly
at equal distance, with three or four obsolete interim diatt r< inlets.
The fragment represents the middle part of a large palmate leaf, whose
rachis is unknown. Its relation, therefore, to Sabal or to Flabellaria is
uncertain. The rays, distinctly carinate in the lower part of the speci-
men, where they measure twelve to fourteen millimeters, both sides
taken altogether, gradually widen upwards and become flattened, meas-
uring twenty-two millimeters at the top of the specimen, which is about
twelve centimeters both ways. The lower part, therefore, has the appear-
ance of a fragment of Sabal, while the rays flattened upward resemble
those of Flabellaria. The rays are in their whole length distinctly sepa-
rated into equal parts by the primary nerves, somewhat thicker than
the secondary ones, convex at the top of the ridges and concave at the
bottom of the carina?. The secondary veins, a little more than one milli-
meter distant, are also somewhat broad when seen through the thin,
smooth epidermis, and separated by three or four indistinct veinlcts.
The absence of the rachis with this specimen prevents any comparison
with fossil species of Palms.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County. Professor J. D. Whitney.
2 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
DICOTYLEDONES.
AMENTACE^J.
BETULA, L.
Betula aequalis, sp. nov.
PI. I. Figs. 2-4.
Leaves elliptical-ovate, equally narrowed up to a sharp point and downward to a short
petiole ; borders equally dentate; secondary veins mostly simple, craspedodrome.
The form of the leaves is the same in all the specimens, differing only
hy their size, from five to eight centimeters long, and from two to three
and a half centimeters broad. The secondary veins are mostly simple,
either slightly curving in passing up to the borders in an acute angle
of divergence of .30° or straight, entering the alternate teeth and some-
times the intermediate ones by short branches, as in Fig. 2. The lower
pair of lateral veins join the middle nerve a little above the base of the
leaves, which is generally bordered, at least on one side, by a thin mar-
ginal veinlet ; they are parallel, equidistant, opposite in the lower part
of the leaves, alternate in the upper part, generally separated by a thin
tertiary vein dissolved below the middle of the areas; the teeth, nearly
equal, are sharp, and slightly turned upwards.
The relation of this species to the present Betula occidentalis, Hook.,
commonly found along the streams of the Eocky Mountains, is very close
indeed. The nervation is the same ; the nearly equal teeth are, in some
leaves at least, of the same form and size ; the difference is only in the
shape of the leaves, which in the fossil species are longer, wedge-form
to the base, and also proportionally narrow. A fine representation of
this Betula is given in Watson's 4i Botany of the Fortieth Parallel," PI.
XXXV. Among the fossil species, ours is comparable to B. Brongnarti,
Ett. Fos. EL v. Bilin. I., p. 46, PI. XIV. Figs. 9-13, which is common in
the Miocene of Europe, and has been described also by Heer, Gaudin,
Saporta, and other palaeontologists. The affinity, however, is more marked
with the living American B. occidentalis than with any fossil forms known
as yet of this genus.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Fagus.
AMENTACE^L
FAGUS, Touexf.
Fagus Antipofi, Heer.
PI II. Fir/. 13.
leaves somewhat thick, coarsely nerved, oblong-lanceolate, gradually nan-owed to the
short petiole ; borders distant/// dentate; secondary veins close, parallel, straight
to the teeth; nervilles distinct, in right angle to the veins.
Fagus Antipofi, Heeb, Flor. Foss. Alask., p. 30, PI. V. Fig. 4 a ; PL VII. Figs. 4 - 8 ; PL Yin. Fig. 1.
Abich., Mem. Acad. d. sc. de St. Petersb., Tom. VII. Vltli ser., p. 572, PL VIII. Fig. 2.
Fagus lancifolia, Heer, Overs. K. Vetensk.-Acad. Verhandl. Kjobenh., 18C8, I. p. 64.
We have of this species only the fragmentary specimen figured. The
leaf is slightly coriaceous, deeply marked by the secondary nerves and
their nervilles, and has the borders either regularly undulate or cut by
short teeth entered by the secondary veins, which pass nearly straight
from the middle nerve at an angle of divergence of 40°. The nervilles
divided in the middle of the areas by cross veinlets are close, and in
riffht ansles to the veins. The leaf is, in all its characters, similar to
Fi"\ 4 of PL VII., of the Fossil Flora of Alaska, where all the forms
described by Professor Heer have been found. In his description the
author recognizes five different varieties of his species, (b) being the one
to which this leaf is referable.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collec-
tion, Museum of the University of California.
Fagus pseudo-ferruginea, sp. nov.
PI. II Fir/. 14.
Leaf oho v ate, lanceolate-pointed, narrowed to the short petiole ; borders undulate; mid-
dle nerve thin; secondary veins craspedodrome, nearly straight in passing obliquely
to the borders."
At first I considered this leaf as referable to Fagus Avdipofi, var. a, as
described by Abich ; but it presents some marked differences. The mid-
dle nerve is much narrower; the secondary veins more distant, less distinct,
dissolved quite near the borders, slightly curved, and also more open.
Tlie substance of the leaf is not as coarse, rather thin, and the base is
more acutely cuneate. But for the entire merely undulate borders, this
leaf should be identified with the living Fagus ferruginea, Ait., of the
present North American flora. By this character it resembles the Euro-
4 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
pean F. sylvutica, Linn., to which it is related in an equal degree, differing
by its more acute base, and by more numerous less straight secondary
veins.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Voy's Collection.
QUERCUS, Linn.
§ I. — Leaves Entire.
Quercus elsenoides, sp. nov.
PI. I. Figs. 9-12.
Leaves coriaceous, oval or oblong, lanceolate, marly equally narrowed upward to a
point, or a, short obtuse acumen, and doionward to a short petiole/ lateral reins
at an open angle of divergence ; parallel camptodrome.
These leaves vary in size from five to ten centimeters long, and from
two to three centimeters broad ; either oval-pointed or oblong, lanceolate
acuminate, gradually narrowed to the petiole. The midrib is narrow ;
the lateral veins open, diverging about 50°, curving, camptodrome, and
generally blanching near the borders. The areas are more generally
simple, as in Fig. 11, but sometimes divided in the middle by tertiary
veins, anastomosing with nervilles at a distance from the middle nerve,
and passing by divisions into the areolation ; nervilles distinct in right
angle to the secondary veins, forming, by multiplied branches in opposite
directions, small quadrate meshes, as seen in Figs. 11 and 12. The species
is closely related to Quercus elcena, Ung., especially to the figures in
Heer (Flor. Tert. Helv., III., PL CLI. Fig. 3,) and in Saporta (Etud.,
III., PI. V. Fig. 2). Like the following species, it is of the type of
Quercus virens, Ait., and Q. cinerea, Muhx., of the Southern United States
flora.
Habited. — Table Mountain. Voy's Collection.
Quercus convexa, sp. nov.
PI I. Figs. 13-17.
Leaves of a thick coriaceous consistence, small, oblong, obtuse, rounded, and narrowed
to a short petiole; borders reflexed, very entire; surface convex; nervation camp-
todromt .
The collection has a large number of finely preserved specimens of this
species, easily identified by their small oblong, obtuse, always convex leaves.
Quercus. AMENTACEiE. 5
They vary in size from two and one half to five centimeters long, and
from one to two centimeters hroad. The secondary veins are in a very
open angle of divergence from the narrow midrib, often, especially in the
small leaves, in right angle to it, curved toward the borders, camptodrome,
with primary areas generally divided to the middle by thin tertiary veins.
As in the former species, to which it is related by its areolation, the ner-
villes in right angle to the secondary veins are divided by cross branches,
generally oblique, passing by multiple ramifications into very small areolae,
not as distinctly quadrangular as in the former species, but rather irregu-
larly polygonal.
This species is also related to Quercus elceua, Ung., but essentially differs
by the form of its shorter leaves. It is more closely allied to the Live
Oak, Q. virens ; to the var. nana by its nervation, and to the var. maritima
by the form and size of the coriaceous leaves. I have mentioned as Quer-
cus virens, from the Pliocene chalk bluffs of the Mississippi, Amer. Journ.
of Sci. and Arts, 1859, Vol. XXVII. p. 364, leaves which appear identical
with those described here.
Habitat. — Same locality as the former. Voy's Collection.
§ II. — Leaves Seeeate or Dentate.
Quercus Nevadensis, sp. nov.
PL II Figs. 3, 4.
Leaves obovate, rounded to an obtuse point, gradually narroiced from the middle to the
base; borders distantly dentate; nervation subcamptodrome.
We have of this species only the two specimens figured. The length
of the leaves is nine to eleven centimeters, and their width from three
to five ; their shape is obovate or oblanceolate, as they gradually enlarge
upwards from a narrowed base, and are rounded to an obtuse point. The
teeth of the borders are distant and short, generally turned outside, sepa-
rated by shallow sinuses, and descend to below the middle of the leaves,
even, in the small specimen, to near the base. The secondary veins are
close, sixteen pairs in each loaf, parallel, mostly simple, passing from the
middle nerve, at an angle of divergence of 50°, nearly straight to the
borders, where they abruptly curve, entering the teeth by a short branch,
a nervation of the same type as that of the dentate leaves of Dryophijllum.
The nervilles are very distinct, somewhat distant, mostly simple and de-
6 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
current; the areolation obsolete, the surface coarse, the substance not thick,
rather membranaceous.
This species has not any marked relation with any fossil one. By the
nervation, and somewhat also by the form of the leaves, it is allied to
Q. castanea, Willd., of the present flora of North America, but still more
to a section of Mexican Oaks, whose coriaceous leaves are bordered with
short distant teeth : Q. Ilumboldli, Q. glaucescens, Humb. and Bonpl., Q.
spicata, Kunth., etc.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs. Voy's Collection.
Quercus Boweniana, sp. nov.
PI II. Figs. 5, 6.
Leaves coriaceous, rather small, oblong, lanceolate, pointed or acuminate, gradually curv-
ing to a short petiole ; borders obscurely and distantly dentate; secondary veins
parallel, simple, craspedodrome.
The smallest of the two leaves which represent this species is five cen-
timeters long, comprising the short petiole, and one and a half centimeters
broad; the other is about twice as large; their form is elliptical oblong,
narrowed in the same degree toward the point or short acumen (broken),
and to the petiole, which is scarcely two millimeters long, and slightly
inflated. The borders, distantly and obscurely dentate, are entered by
the points of the secondary veins, which are simple, equidistant, parallel,
more or less open, according to the size of the leaves, straight or curv-
ing very little in passing to the borders. The areolation, observable only
upon the fragment of the larger leaf, is formed by subdivisions, generally
in right angle of the fibrillar, and composed of very small quadrangular
meshes.
These leaves have a distant relation to those of the following species,
but none known as yet to any from the European Tertiary.
Habitat. — Bowen's Claim. Voy's Collection.
Quercus distincta, sp. nov.
PI. II. Figs. 7-9.
Leaves somewhat thick, or sitbcoriaceoics, of larger sizt than those of the former species,
long petioled, ovate, rounded to the petiole and entire toward the base, distantly
obscurity dentati above, gradually narrowed to an obtuse point ; secondary veins
distant, subcamptodrome.
Quercus. AMENTACEjE. 7
Those le;ives are of the same section as those of the two former species.
Their form is ovate, rounded at the base to a comparatively long petiole,
obtusely pointed, the borders marked by short distant teeth, scarcely dis-
cernible in some of the specimens, like that of Fig. 7 for example. The
nervation is subcamptodrome, the lower secondary nerves curving to the
borders and following them in festoons, the upper ones entering the teeth
while their upper branches follow the borders, and pass to the intermediate
teeth by veinlets. The secondary veins are distant, the lower ones at a
more open angle of divergence, and curved, the upper ones nearly straight,
generally forking once, or simple, or sparingly branching in the middle
of the areas.
To this species, also, the fossil leaves published by European authors
offer scarcely any analogy. The peculiar nervation is comparable to that
of the leaves of Quercus attemata, Goepp , Tert. fl. v. Schossnitz, p. 17, PI.
VIII. Figs. 4, o, which have a different type of denticulation of the bor-
ders, and their base narrowed to the petiole. A more marked relation is
found with the living species Q. crassifoUa, Humb. and Bonpl., of Mexico,
and Q. agrifolia, Nee, of California.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Quercus Goepperti, sp. nov.
PI, II Fi//. 11.
Leaf small, oblong, narrowed in equal <!<</rt< upward to an obtuse point, and downward
to a short petiole ; border s^ doubly serratt or denticular : secondary veins parallel,
subcauijitodrome.
The species is known by a single oblong, lanceolate obtusely pointed
leaf, four centimeters long, a little more than one centimeter broad, nar-
rowed in curving to a short slender petiole; borders denticulate, the teeth
entered by the points of the secondary veins, being a little larger or more
prominent ; secondary veins parallel, either entering the teeth by the
points, or curving quite near the borders, and passing to them by branch-
lets, a nervation of the same type as that of Quercus Nevadensis. By the
border divisions only, this leaf is related to Q. attenuata, Goepp. loc. fit.. Fig.
5 ; but it greatly differs from it by its more numerous secondary veins, its
oblong linear shape, etc.
Hahilat. — Same as the former. Voy's Collection.
g FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
Quercus Voyana, sp. nov.
PL II. Fig. 12.
Leaf small, subcoriaceoxts, nearly round in outline, crenulate from the middle to the
base, undulate and truncate at the top; midrib thick; secondary nerves curved,
subcamptodrome, deeply marked, as also the percurrent nervilles in right angle to the
veins.
This small leaf, nearly round or enlarged truncate at the top, and rounded
to the petiole, has the same character of nervation as the former species ;
the lower veins distinctly camptod route, the upper ones entering the borders,
either directly or by branching veinlets. The lower part is by its form
similar to the leaves described above as Quercus distincta, and indeed, but
for its truncate top, it would be considered as a variety of the same species.
Its size is only about three centimeters across, and both ways. Its rela-
tion is to Q. agrifolia, Nee.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
§ III. — Leaves deeply Lunate.
Quercus pseudo-lyrata, sp. nov.
PI. II. Figs. 1, 2.
Leaves of large sir*; oblong obovatt in outline, cuneate to the petiole, divided into deep
linear obtusely pointed or acuminate lobes, either simjrte or marked toward the point
by om or two largi. teeth; secondary veins few and distant, passing up in an acute
angle of divergence to tht points of the lobes.
The consistence of these two fine leaves is not very thick, only sub-
coriaceous ; they are narrowed at the base, and wedge-form to the petiole,
four lobate on each side, the two lower pairs of lobes short, entire, obtuse,
the third longer, with the lobes either entire obtusely pointed, or cut near
the point in two or three acute or acuminate teeth ; the lobes have the
same declination as the secondary veins, which diverge from the midrib
on an angle of 40-50°. The secondary veins pass up to the point of the
lobes, and are more generally simple, sometimes branching, the divisions
either curving along the borders, or the upper ones entering the teeth
of the lobes. The intermediate tertiary veins are short, and generally on
a more open angle of divergence.
These fine leaves represent the section of our American lyrate Oaks in
Castaneopsis. AMEXTACE^E. Q
a remarkably distinct likeness. Indeed, the}' are so similar to those of
Querent lyrata, Valt., a common species of the flora of the Southern States,
that it is scarcely possible to doubt their identity. The fossil leaves are
merely slightly smaller, their lobes less inclined backwards, and the ter-
tiary veins less deeply marked. As the leaves of Oaks are so variable
that the identification of species is rarely ascertainable from their char-
acters only, I did not think advisable to apply to the fossil ones the name
of the living species, notwithstanding the impossibility of remarking any
difference between them.
Habitat? — The locality is unknown, or at least not marked in the cata-
logue of the labels. The matrix of the specimens is a white soft clay,
like that of the Chalk Bluffs of Nevada County, California, and no other
species is preserved upon them, except a fragment of a leaf apparently
referable to Castanea intermedia, Lesqx. These specimens are evidently
from the same formation and age as those of the Chalk Bluffs.
CASTANEOPSIS, Spach.
Castaneopsis chrysophylloides, sp. now
PL II Fig. 10.
Leaves coriaceous, entire, with undulate apparently recurved borders, oblong-lanceolate,
narrowed upwards to a slightly obtuse acumen, and mon gradually from the middle
downward to a short petiole ; nervation camptodrome.
By the form of the leaf, narrowed into a short acumen, by their size,
by the glabrous surface, and by the characters of nervation as far as they
can be recognized, this leaf lias a remarkable likeness to those of C. chri/so-
phylla, Hook., of the present flora of California. The lateral veins are
slightly more curved, and also in a somewhat more acute angle of diver-
gence from the midrib, at least in a general point of comparison. Many
leaves, however, of the living species, of which I have numerous finely
preserved specimens, do not show any difference whatever, either in the
directions or in the curve of the secondary veins. So great is the affinity
that if a fruit like that of the chestnut had been found in connection with
this leaf, I should have admitted it as positively identified to C. chrysophyUn.
Its type is also that of some species of Oaks, either fossil, like Quercm LyeM,
Heer., Q. elcena, Ung., or living, like Q. vvrens, var. mariiima, all species from
10 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEREA NEVADA.
which it differs by the acuminate point. Nothing more of the nervation
can be observed upon the specimen than what is seen on the figure.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
SAL1X, L.
Salix Californica, sp. nov.
PI I. Figs. 18-21.
Leaves sxibcoriaceous. > ntire oval-obtuse, or oblong, obtusely pointed, or lanceolate, tapering
to a long acumen, rounded in narrowing to the base, short petioled ; secondary nerves
in an acute angle of divergence ; areolation, obsolete.
The four leaves figured of this species show a great diversity of shape.
They vary in size from four to six centimeters long, and from one and
a half to two centimeters broad, the broadest part being generally a
little below the middle, and hence, either gradually decreasing into a
long acumen, as in Fig. 19, or to a short slightly obtuse point, as in Fig.
21, or rounded and more obtuse at the top; the consistence is subcoria-
ceous, and the surface smooth ; the midrib is narrow, and the secondary
veins are only discernible, with some parallel nervilles in right angle, as
in Fig. 18. They have generally one pair of basilar veinlets, derived
from the midrib near the base of the lamina, and following the borders
to their connection with an upper vein by nervilles.
This species is intimately related to S. Integra, Goepp., Schoss. Fl., p. 25,
PI. IX. Figs. 1-16, differing by more distant lateral veins, more obtuse
or obtusely pointed leaves, generally broader, and of larger size. Goeppert
compares his species to Salix repens, L., which has in the shape of some
of its leaves some relation to this species also, but is very distinct by
the salient nervation. Ours is rather comparable to the leaves of S.
Coulteri, Anders., or to S. sessilifolia, Nutt., both species of the Western
slope of North America.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collec-
tion.
Salix elliptica, sp. nov.
PL I. Fig. 22.
Leaves elliptical, equally narrowed, and rounded to an obtuse point ami to the petiole,
borders minutely unequally serratt : lateral veins curving to and along the borders ;
tertiary veins short and thin, nervilles numerous and distinct.
ropulus. AMENTACE^E. H
The only leaf seen of this species is four and a half centimeters long,
two and a half centimeters broad in the middle, exactly elliptical-oval,
with borders minutely but distinctly crenato-serrulate. The divergence
of the lateral veins is about 60° in joining the deep narrow midrib ; but
they soon curve toward the borders in simple festoons, narrowing the
angle of divergence from the middle upwards. These lateral veins are
close, twelve pairs, parallel, thin, but deeply and distinctly marked like
the nervilles which unite them in right angle, and also the short inter-
mediate tertiary veins. This leaf has distinctly the characters of the sec-
tion Cinerascentes or Caprew, of the living Willows, and is closely related
to S. caproeoides, Anders., of the California flora.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Voy's Collection.
POPULUS, Linn.
Populus Zaddachi, Heer.
PI. VIII. Figs. 1 - 8.
Leaves very variable in size, ovate, more or less aactcly and gradually 'pointed, round or
cordate at the base ; borders crenate ; nervation five to seven palmate, generally from
the top of it long slender petioU ; lower lateral nerves at mi open anglt of divergence;
the inner ones mon acutely oblique, mid ascending to near tin upp( r part <>f tin
leaves, sometimes to near th< point.
r„pu!u* Zaddachi, Heer, Flor. Fuss. Ant., I., p. 98, PI. VI. Figs. 1-4: XV. Fig. 1 b; II, p. 4G8. I'l.
XLIII. Fig. 15 a; XLIV. Fig. 6. Fl. Fuss. Alask., p. 26, I'l. II. Fig. ha. Mice. Fl. Spitz., p.
55, PI. II. Fig. 13c; X Fig. 1 : XI. Fig. 8-/. .Alio,-. Bait. FL. p. 30. Pis. V., VI.. XII. Fig. 1 c.
This species is very distinct, though variable in the form and size of
its leaves. Our specimens represent these leaves from four to fifteen cen-
timeters long, and from two to nine and a half centimeters broad. They
are generally gradually enlarged from the point to near the base, where
they become rounded or cordate to the petiole ; but sometimes in nar-
rower leaves, as in Fig. G, they are attenuated to the base. The bor-
ders are more or less deeply serrato-crenate, the teeth being either acute,
as in Figs. 2 and 8, or very obtuse, as in Figs. 1 and 5. The petiole is
slender, and of medium length. In Fig. 8 it seems very long; if, how-
ever, the plicature at the base of the specimen is really from a part of
the petiole of the same leaf, this would indicate a length of fourteen
to fifteen centimeters, equal to that of the leaf itself. The petiole of
12 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
the lower part of Fig. 5 is only half the length of that of the leaf, as
it is also in the specimens figured by Heer. The larger leaves are seven,
palmately nerved, the lowest veins open and thin, mere marginal vein-
lets; the middle ones of an intermediate size and divergence, the upper
ones ascending in an acute angle of divergence to at least the three
fourths of the laminas, either inclining toward the borders, or toward the
midrib, which they nearly equal in size, and always branching outside ;
the secondary veins are few, and at a distance from the primary ones.
As marked in Fig. 2, the areolation is formed by division of the nervilles
in right angle, forming large subquadrate meshes, which, subdivided in the
same direction by thinner veinlets, result in a very small ultimate irreg-
ularly quadrate reticulation. The various forms represented upon our
plate are identical with those of the Baltic Mioc. Fl., Pis. V. and VI.,
agreeing equally well with those of the specimens from Greenland, Spits-
bergen, and Alaska.
This species seems especially a representative of the Upper Miocene.
We have it from the Green River group of the Rocky Mountains, but
it has not been seen at Carbon, or in any other station of the American
Lignitic.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Professor J. D. Whitney's, and Voy's
Collections. Fig. 6 is marked Roach Hill, Oregon.
PLATANUS, Linn.
Platanus appendiculata, sp. nov.
Pi III Fiys. 1-6. PI. VI Fir,, lb.
Learcs tncmbranamnts or sulirorioccoits, rariablt in size, either very large, widening up-
wards, fan-like, abruptly curving and decurring to the petiole; or smaller, broadly
obovate, rounded or subtruncate to a short point, wedge-form to the base, distantly
dentate by short fat teeth ; stipules double, leaf-like at the bum of the short petiole.
These remarkably fine leaves seem at first to represent two species,
the one, Fig. 1, with very large, fan-like leaves, rapidly narrowed down-
ward, and decurrent to the petiole, truncate or rounded at the top, with
the borders marked by distant short teeth, separated by nearly flat or
concave sinuses. This leaf, the only one seen of this size, is at least
twenty-three centimeters long, twenty-four centimeters broad in its upper
part, with a very long thick midrib, four millimeters broad at the base.
Platanus. AMENTACE^E. 13
All the other specimens, and they are numerous, represent comparatively
small leaves, seven to twelve centimeters long, six to eleven centi-
meters broad, all broadly obovate, either gradually or abruptly narrowed
to the petiule, with the same character of nervation and of border di-
visions as the large one. The nervation is more or less regularly tri-
palmate, the primary lateral veins at an open angle of divergence from
a distance above the borders, branching outside, and joined to the secon-
dary nerves by thick veinlets, mostly simple or crossed at right angles in
the middle of the areas. By a slight prolongation of the primary lateral
nerves the leaves are obscurely trilobate. The petiole, as seen from
Fig. 3, the only specimen upon which it is preserved, is short, bearing
at its inflated base two leaf-like obovate, obtusely pointed stipules, hav-
inir in a reduced decree the same characters as the leaves. As there
is no other reason for considering these leaves as referable to two spe-
cies than the great difference in size, and as the same diversity is observ-
able in the leaves of the living Platanus occidentaUs, Linn., to which this
fossil one is closely related, a separation seems unjustifiable. By the form
of its bifid and deciduous stipules, the species is related to P. Lindcniana,
Mart,, of Mexico.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Voy's Collection. All the specimens
are from the same locality, and upon the same kind of whitish soft clay.
Platanus dissecta, sp. nov.
PI. VII. Fkj. 12. PL X. Figs. 4, 5.
Leaves large, subcoriaceous, truncate or subcordate at the base, deeply three or five
lobed ; loins narrow, lancto/ate-acaiiiinate, sharply toothed.
This species is, like the former, closely allied by some of its characters
to P. occidentalis, Linn., being, however, evidently distinct by its narrower,
more acutely pointed lobes, in an acute angle of divergence to the mid-
dle, and by its sharply pointed teeth all turned upwards. As far as can
be seen by the branching of the lateral primary nerves in two nearly
equal divisions and the acute teeth, Fig. 12 of PI. VII. is referable to
the same species as Figs. 4 and 5 of PI. X., though the direction of the
lateral lobes differs. Among the specimens from Table Mountain are
many fragments, showing the lobes still more inclined toward the middle
one, and more acutely dentate. Fig. 5 of PI. X. seems to represent an
14 FOSSIL FLOEA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
undeveloped leaf with reflexed borders, scarcely dentate, a mere variety
of the normal form. The essential difference of this species from P.
occidental® is in the narrower shape of the leaves, longer than broad,
and in the deeper, acute divisions. As is generally the case in leaves
of Platanus, some are five palmately nerved, and accordingly five-lobed,
while others have the nerves and divisions only in three. The leaves
are not as large as in the former species; the largest one figured here
being only fifteen centimeters long, and about twelve centimeters broad
between the points of the lobes.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Professor J. D. Whitney. More
common in the same formation at Table Mountain, Tuolumne County.
Voy's Collection.
LIQUIDAMBAR, Lixn.
Liquidambar Californicum, sp. nov.
PI. VI. Fig. 7 c. PL VII. Figs. 3, 6.
Leaves coriaceous or subcoriaceous, comparatively small, three, rarely five lobed, den-
ticulate, lobes short, ovate, pointed, <>r acuminate.
Acer denticulatum, Lesijx., Mss.
The species is represented by many more or less fragmentary leaves,
the more complete of which have been figured. The largest of all
(Fig. 3) is the only one divided in five lobes. It is about twelve cen-
timeters long, and fourteen centimeters broad between the points of the
upper lateral lobes, deeply cordate at the base, with the borders minutely
and equally denticulate all around. The size of the other leaves varies
from five to eight centimeters, both ways ; they are all trilobate, gen-
erally truncate or rounded to the petiole ; minutely denticulate. The
long slender petiole of some of the leaves induced me to refer them to
Acer, in my first note on these fossil plants. Count Saporta, to whom I
owe valuable information on the relation of some of the species described
here, is, however, of the opinion that they represent a new Liquidambar,
closely allied to L. Europeum Al. Br. of the Miocene, and still more to
two living species recently discovered ; L. acerifolium, Maxim., of Japan,
and L. jauvanenm, 01., of China, both with coriaceous, minutely denticu-
late, three or five lobed leaves. We might also consider the Californian
fossil species as a mere variety of L. Europeum, which, though generally
Ulmm. UKTICINK.E. 15
represented by larger, five-lobed, minutely denticulate leaves, is described
by linger, Iconog., p. 44, PI. XX. Fig. 28, under the name of L. aeerifoUum,
as a small trilobate, more deeply lobate, and long petioled leaf. In any
case the presence of a Liquidambar in the upper tertiary of California
is explainable either by the present geographical distribution of the genus,
which has representatives in Japan and China, or by geological relation
or derivation, as L. Europeum. One of the most widely distributed species
of the Miocene of Europe, especially abundant at CEningen, even recog-
nized in the Miocene of Italy, has been described by Heer from speci-
mens from Alaska.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
URTlCINEiE.
ULMUS.
Ulmus Californica, sp. nov.
PL IV Fu/s. 1, 2. PL VI. Fig. la.
Leaves small, svbcoriaceous, narrowly ovate-lanceolate, acuminate, rounded to the slightly
Km ijiii/titi nil base; borders irregularly denticulate; secondary nerves parallel,
numerous, more '•/>< n towards the base, craspedodrome.
The collection has numerous leaves of the same species from two
localities, those from Table Mountain representing leaves generally
smaller than those of the Chalk Bluffs. Fig. 2 is one of them, varying
in size from three and a half to seven centimeters long, and propor-
tionally broad. The essential characters are, however, identical. The
border teeth are smaller, but irregular, those entered by the secondary
nerves being a little stronger, all, however, generally turned outside. The
secondary veins, thin at their points, are at a more or less open angle
of divergence, according to the width of the leaves, and these, slightly
unequal at the base and rounded to the petiole, are gradually narrowed
from the middle upward into a long acumen. The characters of the
leaves of Ulmus are easily recognized in their generic relation; but the
species are less satisfactorily separated. In this form, however, they seem
distinct from those of all the fossil species described, especially by the
constantly narrow shape, the somewhat thick consistence of the laminae,
and the small teeth turned outside. Except for this peculiar denticula-
IQ FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
tion, and for the longer acumen of the leaves, they are similar to those
of the living Ulmus alata, Michx., a species frequently found along the
streams, especially in the South, its range heing from Middle Ohio to
Florida.
Habitut. — Chalk Bluffs and Table Mountain, California. Voy's Collec-
tion.
Ulmus pseudo-fulva, sp. now
PL IV. Fig. 3.
Leaves large, ovate-lanceolate, taper-pointed, doubly <l< nfnte on the borders, cordate and
equilateral at the base; lateral nerves open, especially mar the base, distant, com-
paratively thin, like the nervilles, hat distinct.
Comparing this leaf to those of the former species, the essential differ-
ences remarked are, the larger size, the larger teeth of the borders, den-
tate on the back, and the thinner nervation. The leaves are also merely
pointed, even obtusely so, and cordate at the base. The likeness of this
leaf to those of the present U. fulva, Michx., the slippery elm, is so great,
that but for the less acuminate point, the cordate base, and an appar-
ently less coarse texture, identity of species should be acknowledged. If
there were many specimens for comparison, these differences might be
recognized as merely individual. As it is, I consider this species as the
original slightly deviating form of U. fulva.
Habitut. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Professor J. D. Whitney's Collection.
Ulmus affinis, sp. nov.
PL IV. Figs. 4, 5.
Leaves of medium size, long-petioled, ruinate or rounded to the base, ovate, lanceolate-
acuminate ; borders doubly serrate; lateral nerves very close.
Tbe long petiole, the sharp serrature of the borders, with primary teeth
turned upwards, and only a short intermediate one, especially the close,
numerous secondary nerves, scarcely curving in passing up to the teeth,
separate the leaf (Fig. 4) as a distinct species. Though the fragment
(Fig. 5) is from the same locality, its characters are not equally definite,
the borders being slightly more obtusely and irregularly doubly serrate.
The unequilateral base is of no account as character of a leaf of UlmiiSj
and as the lateral veins are close, the areolation and the nervation the
Ficus. URTICINE-ffi. 17
same, — for in both leaves the midrib is comparatively thin, — it appears
referable rather to this than to the former species, to which its affinity
is also marked. This type is Miocene, the species being very closely
related to Limits tenuinervis, Lesqx., of South Park, which itself is allied
to U. Braunu, Heer, of the Upper Miocene of GEningen.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collection.
FICUS, Tournef.
Ficus sordida, sp. nov.
PL IV. Figs. 6, 7.
Leaves large, coriaceous, entire, broadly ovate or nearly round, obtuse or pointed, truncate
or slit/nth/ rordate at the nearly equilateral base, palmately Jive nerved from the top
of an enlarged thick petiole ; nervation coarse, camptodrome.
Of the two leaves which represent this fine species, one, nearly round,
is twelve centimeters broad, ten and a half centimeters long, slightly
contracted toward the very obtuse point. The other, thirteen and a half
centimeters long, is more enlarged toward the subcordate base, where
it measures eleven and a half centimeters, rapidly narrowing upwards to
an acute point. The lateral nerves curve in passing to the borders, the
inner pair ascending to near the top, there parallel with the secondary
nerves, three pairs of them, the lower one at a greater distance from the
base, and thinner than the middle. The surface of these leaves is black,
somewhat crumpled or rather smooth, but deeply cut by the nervation,
and irregularly wrinkled. The nervilles, in right angle to the veins,
obliquely divide in anastomosing, and by subdivisions constitute an irreg-
ularly comparatively large polygonal areolation.
This species, though of the same type as the following, is evidently
different from it. It is comparable, even apparently closely allied, to the
fragment of leaf described by Heer as Ficus ? grcenlandica, Flor. Arct, II.
p. 472, PI. LIV. Fig. 2. Another fragment, less complete, is figured in
the same work, I. PI. XIII. Fig. G. The nervation is about of the same
character. In the Greenland leaves, however, the primary veins are
more slender, the leaves smaller, and the areolation more compact.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
lg FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEREA NEVADA.
Ficus tilieefolia, Al. Br.
PL IV. Figs. 8, 9.
leaves large, sitbcoriaceous, entire, uneqailati nth intimately three or five nerved, ovate,
rounded or subcordate at the base, pointed or acuminati ; petiole thick.
This species differs from the former by its thinner primary nerves, and
their divisions ascending nearly straight to the borders, where they ab-
ruptly curve in bows, often touching the margins ; by the distinctly unequi-
lateral base of the more narrowly pointed leaves, and the square primary
areolation. This species is well known, its characters definite, and its dis-
tribution very wide. The leaves greatly vary in size, Fig. 9 representing
its small forms, Fig. 8 the middle ones, for there are leaves of this spe-
cies twice as large. It has been described by European authors from
most of the stages of the Miocene. On this continent we find it already
in the lowest strata of the Eocene Lignitic, as at Point of Rocks, for
example, quite near the top of the Cretaceous measures. It abounds at
Golden, Colorado, Black Buttes, Wyoming, etc., and is therefore repre-
sented in the whole Tertiary. No species has been seen in the Creta-
ceous Dakota group, however, which could indicate any relation to it.
The type is represented at the present time by Ficus sgcomorus, Linn., an
analogous species.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Voy's Collection.
Ficus microphylla, sp. nov.
PI. IV. Figs. 10, 11.
Leaves small, coriaceous, very entire, broadly oval or rhomboidal in outline, rounded
upwards to a short obtuse point, and downwards to a thick petiole ; palmately three-
nerved from tin slightly unequilateral base; nervation, camptodrome.
The species is represented in the collection by three leaves, all about
of the same size, the largest three centimeters long, and a little more
than two centimeters broad. The nervation is of the same character as
that of the two former species ; but the primary nerves are very thin,
in three only, and on a more acute angle of divergence than that of
the secondary ones. The lateral nerves ascend to above the middle
of the leaves, where they curve near the borders, anastomosing by simple
flexure with the secondary veins, which are scarcely branched, merely
Persea. LAURINE.E. 19
joined by very thin nervilles. The petiole seems to become inflated a
little below the base of the leaves, as seen in Fig. 11, the only speci-
men where the petiole is f>reserved.
There is no fossil species to which these leaves may be compared, for
a close relation, at least. They have the same nervation as Ficus plani-
costata of Golden, whose young leaves, of about the same size, have also
somewhat thin primary and secondary nerves. But the form of the
leaves is different, and the distinct veinlets, mostly parallel, simple, and
thin, are of another character.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collec-
tion.
LAURINEiE
PERSEA, Gceet.
Persea pseudo-Carolinensis, sp. nov.
PI VII Figs. 1, 2.
Leaves coriaceous, comparatively large, oblanceolate, obtusely pointed, gradually nar-
rowed to the petiole; lateral nerves on an acute <//><//t <>f divergence, curving to
and following the borders in long series of anastomosing bows.
The two fragments representing this fine species present quite dis-
tinctly the details of nervation and of areolation. The lateral nerves,
on a very acute angle of divergence at the base, become by and by
more open toward the top of the leaves, gradually curve upwards, and
follow the borders high above in a long series of simple festoons. The
thick fibrillce, branching in the middle of the areas, or anastomosing
with short tertiary veins, compose, by the first divisions, large, irregularly
square or equilateral areolae, and by subdivisions mostly in right angle,
constitute an ultimate reticulation of very small round polygonal meshes.
This kind of nervation refers these leaves to Persea, and indeed, by com-
parison with those of P. Carolinenm, Nees, of the present North American
flora, the analogy of form and of all the characters is seen to be very
close. Generally the lower veins of P. Carolinensis are at a more open
angle of divergence, and the size of the leaves is smaller. They vary
considerably, however, even upon the same branch, and leaves are not
uncommonly seen with the basilar nervation precisely similar to that of
Fig. 1, while others are found as large, still larger than the fossil one.
20 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
The var. palustris, Chap., has leaves still more obtusely pointed than that
of Fig. 1, the only one preserved nearly in its integrity. If not identical
with the living species, the fossil one may be considered as its ancestor.
Its analogy to fossil species is marked with P. Braunii, Heer, Fl. Tert.
Helv., p. 80, PL LXXXIX. Figs. 9, 10, of the Miocene of (Eningen.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, California. Voy's Collection.
DISCANTHE^.
ARALIA, L.
Aralia Whitneyi, sp. nov.
PL V. Fig. 1.
Leaves of very large size, subcoriaceous, surface polished, fan-likt in outline, broadly
cum ate or subtruncate to a thick, apparently short petiole ; thret palmately nerved,
and seven-lobed by subdivision of tin: lateral nerves : lobes entire, cut down to about
one third of the lamina, broadly lanceolate-acuminate; secondary nervation camp-
todrome.
The figure represents one of the smallest and better preserved leaves of
this species, from its numerous specimens in the collection. It is twenty
centimeters broad, and eighteen long from the top of the petiole. Another
of these leaves, well preserved also, is twenty-seven centimeters long,
and fragments less complete indicate a size of thirty-six centimeters wide,
and thirty centimeters broad for the leaves which the}' represent. The
shape or general outline of the leaves is very graceful. They are like
large open fans cut around in seven nearly equal lobes, all joined by ob-
tuse sinuses, and separating in the same degree, according to the angle
of divergence of 20° to 25° of the primary nerves, which run straight to
the point of the lobes. The primary nerves are properly in three ; but
the lateral ones fork twice at a short distance from the base, and thus
compose the seven-lobed divisions of the leaves. These primary veins
and their branches are thick ; the secondary ones, on the contrary, origi-
nating a little lower than the base of the lobes, are thin, but distinct,
close, parallel, curving in passing up to the borders, camptodrome ; the
nervilles are distinct, and in right angle to the nerves, those of the lower
part turned up from the primary nerves, and arched in the middle. The
areolation is obsolete.
Aralia, DISCAXTHK.K. 21
This species seems to have been extensively distributed in this flora,
for it is represented by numerous specimens from divers localities, pre-
senting always, as far as that may be recognized by the fragments, the
same characters and the same large size of leaves. The genus Aralia has
its origin in the Cretaceous ; numerous species of Aralia and Araliopsis
have been described from the Dakota group, one of which, A. Towneri,
has, like this, entire lobes, and a nervation of the same character. The
relation of our species, however, is more definite with A. affinis and its
closely allied congener A. notala, of the Eocene, which is locally as widely
distributed as that of the Chalk Bluffs, for in some localities specimens
of this species only have been found in abundance.
The same type is represented in the European Miocene by Aralia [Pla-
tanui) Hercules, Ung. Chlor. Prot., p. 138, PI. XLVI., and at the present
time by some species of the section of the Oreopanax, especially by the
beautiful Aralia papirifera of China and Japan, whose leaves are of the
same form, and generally still larger than those of the fossil species.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Represented also by more than one half of the specimens of the collection
of Professor J. D. Whitney.
Aralia Zaddachi? Heer.
PI. V. Fir/.s. 2, 3.
Leaves comparatively small, subcoriaceous, five-lobed, rounded to and cordate at the base,
distantly obtusely dentatt secondary nerves at an acute angle of divergence.
The consistence of these leaves is somewhat thick ; the primary tri-
palmate nervation, from the base of the petiole, gives a fivedobed divis-
ion of the lamina by the forking of the lateral primary nerves in branches
of equal thickness. Contrary to what is remarked in the former species,
the middle nerve is thicker than the lateral ones. The lower secondary
veins, at an acute angle of divergence, either follow the borders and
curve along them when they are entire, or enter the obtuse, distant
teeth, distinct from near the cordate base of the leaves in Fig. 2. The
upper secondary nerves are somewhat more open and more curved in
passing to the borders. The lobes which reach to the middle of the
lamina are oblong, slightly enlarged in the middle, lanceolate-acuminate,
and distantly dentate below the point which is apparently entire, as seen
22 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
in Fig. 3. The areolation is distinct, composed, by subdivisions of the
nervilles, of very small, round, polygonal meshes. The figure given of
this species by Heer, in his Mioc. Bait. Fl., p. S'J, PI. XV. Fig. 1 b, repre-
sents merely one lobe, whose point is broken, and a narrow obtuse sinus.
The characters of nervation, that is, the lower secondary nerves in an
acute angle of divergence, somewhat more open for tbe upper ones, as
also the border divisions of the leaves, are exactly the same ; the frag-
ment is, however, too small for warranting a claim of identification, which,
however, receives a degree of evidence from the presence in this flora
of a large number of leaves of Populus Zaddachi, a species, as remarked
formerly, also abundant in the Miocene Baltic flora. This type of Aralia
differs from all the Cretaceous congeners by the cordate base of the
leaves.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collec-
tion.
Aralia angustiloba, sp. nov.
PL V. Figs. 4, 5.
I. ritrrx of medium sine, coriaceous, very entire, hrouilhj ciuieate to ei short petiole, enlarged
upwards, and deeply cut in Jive linear narrow entire lobes ; primary nervation in three
from the base, in fee by the forking of the lateral nerves, oil slender and of equal
thickness/ secomlary veins open, close, equidistant, parallel, and camptodVome.
The leaves, of a coarse, rugose, coriaceous texture, are deeply cut in
five narrow linear lanceolate? lobes, whose point (broken) seems to be
obtuse. They differ from those of the former described species and of
other fossil congeners, not merely by the characters of their divisions,
but by the close, numerous secondary nerves on a broad angle of diver-
gence, 70°. The only species offering some points of analogy to this are
both Aralia (Platanns) digitata and A. jatropcefoUa, Ung. Clor. Prot. ; but
the first has the lobes much enlarged in the middle, and acuminate; the
second has them dentate ; and in both species the five palmately primary
nerves are from the top of the petiole.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Voy's Collection.
Cornus. DISCANTHE.E. 23
CORNUS, Linn.
Cornus ovalis, sp. nov.
PL VI. Figs. 1, 2.
Leaves small, entire, oval, obtuse, rounded to a short petiole, penninerve ; secondary
nerves closer toward the base, the upper ones distant, simple, acrodome.
We have only the two fragments figured, representing leaves five to
six centimeters long, and three centimeters broad in the middle. They
are nearly exactly oval, the base joining the short petiole by an inward
curve. The three lower pairs of secondary veins are close to each other,
half a centimeter distant, while the fourth pair is more than double that
distance from the third. They are all simple or without branches, either
alternate or opposite on the same angle of divergence of 40°, joined
by thin nervilles in right angle, and following the borders in simple
curve's.
The characters of nervation are the same as in the species of Cornus
of the North American flora. By considering them only, we could refer
these leaves to C. atternifoUa, L., common over the eastern slope of the
United States. Its leaves, generally acuminate, are sometimes rounded
at the summit, like that of Fig. 1, by the splitting of the lamina and the
incurving of the sides. There is, however, a difference in the base of the
leaves which in the living species is generally narrowed and slightly
tapering to the petiole. The rounded base is observable upon the leaves
of C. Mix, L, of Europe, and C. sessilis, Torr., of California, both of the
same section as the fossil ones.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Col-
lection.
Cornus Kelloggii, *i>- nov.
PL VI. Fig. ?>.
Leaves large, entire, broadly oval or nearly round, contracted upwards into <i *h<>rt
acumen, narrowed by " curve tn tin base ; secondary veins few, opposite, campto-
dromi : nervilles strait,/, simple, distant, continuous.
This fine leaf, about fourteen centimeters long (the lower part is broken),
ten and a half centimeters broad, has characters very similar to those
of Cormts Nutiattii, Aiulub . of California. In the living species the lateral
24 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
nerves are more numerous, generally five pairs; but some leaves have
only four, the three lower pairs equidistant, the fourth somewhat further
removed, as in the fossil leaf. The more marked difference is in the nar-
rower, oval-lanceolate form of the leaves of the California species, and
in the direction of the nervilles, which often turn upwards, and pass
into branches or to secondary nerves. From the description of another
species, C. macrophylla, Walt., whose leaves are fifteen centimeters long
and ten centimeters broad, broadly ovate, acuminate, rounded to the
base, there is apparently a still more intimate relation between the fos-
sil leaf and those of that species of China. I have, however, not been
able to obtain specimens for comparison. This type is not distinctly
represented in any fossil flora. C. platiphijlla, Sap. Sez. Fl., p. 391, PI.
XL Figs. 8, 1), has a distant affinity to it by the form of the leaves,
but greatly differs by its numerous lateral nerves and comparatively nar-
rower and smaller leaves. It seems of recent origin, like the fine C.
florida and C. NidtaUii of the North American flora.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
POLYCARPE.ffi.
MAGNOLIA, Lin.
Magnolia lanceolata, sp. nov.
PI VI. Fig. 4.
Leaves oblong-lanceolate, gradually narrowed to the base, more rapidly curving to a
paint nr short in -n in' a : lati rid n ins numerous, subeqiddistant, camptodrome.
This leaf is not coriaceous, rather of a thin substance; its borders are
slightly undulate, and its veins, scarcely more open toward the base, at
a broad angle of divergence of about 70°, are slightly curved in passing
toward the borders, where they branch and anastomose in bows. The
veins are strong, distinct, but the details of areolation are obsolete. Its
relation to M. acuminata. L., the cucumber-tree of the present North
American flora, is very close. Indeed, but for the smaller size of the
lossil leaf and its secondary veins, slightly more curved in passing to the
borders, the identity of this form to the living species could not be de-
nied. The secondary nerves are equally strong, equally distant, and
under the same angle of divergence ; the slight undulation of the borders
Magnolia. POLYCARPILE. 25
is also remarked in both the fossil and the living leaves. The oblitera-
tion of the areolation prevents an accurate comparison. This leaf is about
twenty-three centimeters long, and six centimeters broad above the mid-
dle. The average size of those of M. acuminata is twenty-eight centi-
meters long, and nine to ten broad.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Magnolia Californica, sp. nov.
PI VI. Figs. 5-7.
Leaves broadly oval, with entire, slightly undulate borders, rounded upwards to a short
acumen, and more gradually narrowed downward* to a short petiole; secondary
veins open, parallel, camptodrome, anastomosing along and quite near the borders
in simple or double bows.
The fragment (Fig. 5) has the lateral nerves somewhat more distant,
and apparently thicker ; but, considering the leaves of living species of
Magnolia, these same differences are remarked. The relation of this spe-
cies to M. cordata, Mich., common in the present flora of the Southern
States, is quite as marked as that of the former species to M. acuminata.
The base is equal and cuneate to the petiole, while in the living species
it is generally unequilateral, and more or less cordate. Leaves narrowed
to the petiole, however, are frequently found in M. cordata ; indeed, young
leaves are generally of this character, and thouirh the base of the fossil
leaves are equilateral the lamina is divided by the midrib in two unequal
sides, as in the living species. All the details of nervation, as far as they
can be seen and have been carefully represented (Fig. 5), are the same,
even the basilar veinlets, as in Fitr. 7. In the fossil floras of the Mio-
cene of Europe, M. Diana;, Ung. Sillog., p. 28, PI. XI. Figs. 1-4, is the
more analogous species, differing especially by narrower leaves and the
winged petiole. Fig. 6 of our plate represents the cone-like receptacle
of a Magnolia with seeds still attached to it, and some loose ones upon
the same fragment. It is referable, very probably at least, to one of
these two species, whose specimens are all from the same locality.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, with the former. Voy's Collection.
26 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
ACERINEiE,
ACER, Linn.
Acer eequidentatum, sp. nov.1
PI. VII Figs. 4, 5.
Leaves small, tripalmately lobed; lateral lobes short, placed above the middle of the leaves,
abruptly pointed; borders acutely dentate, rounded at the base, or truncate to a
long sit ndi r petiole.
The substance of these leaves is rather thick, and their size apparently
small, the largest one seen from all the specimens being about eight cen-
timeters both ways. The borders are cut all around by acute equal teeth
turned upwards somewhat like those of Platanus, and all are entered by
the primary and secondary nerves ; the fibrillae are comparatively thick,
continuous; the middle lobe is twice as long as the lateral ones, lanceolate-
pointed. The relation of this species is distinctly marked with A. viti-
folium, Al. Br., represented in Flor. Tert. Helv., III. PI. CXVII. Fig. 14,
which, by its outline, short lobes, and long slender petiole, is of the same
characters as those figured here, merely differing by shorter teeth, and
still shorter, more obtuse lobes. It is still, by its form and denticulation,
more like the leaf of Weber, Pakeont. (separ. abd.), p. 83, PI. V. Fig. 4 b,
referred to A. vitifolium by the author, and by Heer to his A. brachyphyl-
lum, which has a five palmate nervation, and is therefore of a different
type. The borders of the leaf of A. vilifoUum have not been observed by
Heer, and the characters of the teeth are not yet positively recognized.
Professors Al. Braun and Ettingshausen, the last in his Bilin flora, have
described the species without figures, the teeth being indicated as obso-
lete. The type is that of our present Acer spicatum, Lam., whose leaves,
some of them, at least, have the general outline of the fossil ones, the
truncate base, and the long slender petiole. Its teeth, however, are
longer, mostly double and irregular, and the lobes acuminate.
Hubitat. — Chalk Bluff's, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
1 Acer vitifolium is written upon the plate by mistake.
Acer. ACEEINEiE. 27
Acer Bolanderi, sp. nov.
PL VII. Figs. 7-11.
Leaves of small size, subcoriaceous, palmately three-lobed; lateral lobes shorter titan
tin middle one, entire or distantly obtusely dentate; base broadly cuneate and sub-
cordate tn the slender petiole.
All the specimens representing this fine species have the same char-
acters, the leaves trilobate, with borders either entire or cut along the
sides of the lobes into a few obtuse teeth. The largest of these (Fig. 7)
is only five and a half centimeters between the points of the lateral
lobes ; the smallest are not half as large. The lobes are in an angle
of divergence of 30° -45°, with obtuse broad sinuses. Two species of
the present flora of California have relation to this fossil one : Acer tripar-
titum, Nutt., by the form of the leaves, which are, however, of larger
size and acutely dentate ; and Acer grandidentatum, whose leaves are gen-
erally fivedobed, but which are of the same size and of the same con-
sistence, with lobes obtusely distantly dentate, as in this fossil species.
It is also comparable to Acer siibcampestre, described by Gceppert, from
the Miocene of Schossnitz, and to Acer Italicum, Mass., of the same for-
mation of Italy. The affinity is, however, distant.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Collec-
tion.
FRANGULACEiE.
ILEX, Linn.
Ilex prunifolia, sp. nov.
PL IX. Fig. 7.
Leaves small, oral, obtusely pointed, rnnifl<l in narrowing t<i tin- base; middle nerve
t/iin : secondary nerves parallel, equidistant, curved, and camptodrome ; borders dis-
tantly ul>tit.-<i!i/ dentate.
The reference of this leaf, the only one representing the species, is not
positively ascertainable. By the camptodrome direction of its secondary
nerves it resembles the living I. decidua, Walt, which has the same bor-
der divisions, and in some of its leaves the same form. The base of the
fossil leaf is, however, less narrowed and tapering.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, California. Voy's Collection.
28 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
ZIZYPHUS, Mill.
Zizyphus microphyllus, sp. nov.
PI. VIII. Fie/. 9.
Leaves small, subcoriaceous, oblong, rounded to the base ; primary lateral veins from
above the base, subacrodome ; borders minutely serrulate.
By its form, size, and the minutely serrate borders, this leaf has an
analogy to species of Ceanothus, especially to the small form of C. vehitinus,
Dough, whose basilar lateral nerves, however, come out from the base of
the leaves. I do not know any fossil species to which this fragment
might be compared. Like that of the former, the specimen should per-
haps have been left undescribed. These leaves may be, however, useful
for future comparison.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Professor J. D. Whitney.
Zizyphus piperoides, sp. nov.
PI. VIII. Figs. 10, 11.
Leaves subcoriaceous, entire, lanceolate, acuminate, rounded to the petiole ; lateral primary
nerves subacrodome, joined to the mid rib in. an acute a ugh: of divergence, and
slightly decurving to it.
The characters of nervation of these leaves are the same as in the
former species. The lateral primary veins from above the base of the
leaves ascend at a distance from the borders to near the point, anasto-
mosing with the secondary veins, as seen in Fig. 11, and more or less
branching outside ; under them there is a pair of basilar veinlets follow-
ing up, parallel to the borders. Rounded at the base, these leaves are
gradually narrowed into an apparently long acumen. They vary in size
from six to ten centimeters long, and from two to three centimeters
broad a little above the base, where they are broader. The midrib, which
is strong, is in its lower part joined to the lateral nerves by indistinct,
irregular veinlets, and divided upwards in alternate distant branches,
which curve and anastomose in bows at a distance from the borders. The
details of nervation and of areolation are obsolete. The forms and ner-
vation are like those of the leaves of many species of Piper.
Habitat — Chalk Bluffs, California. Toy's Collection.
Rhus. TK1!KI;IXTHIXE.E. 29
TEREBINTHINEjE.
RHUS, Linn.
Rhus typkinoides, sp. nov.
PI. IX. Figs. 1-6.
Leaves pinnate, leaflets opposite, distant, small, short-petioled, lanceolate, acutely taper-
pointed or acuminate; borders serrate; secondary veins numerous, parallel, at an
iijirn angle of divergence, camptodrome.
It .seems at first as if these leaves, which are represented by numerous
specimens, might be referable to two different species, one with unequi-
lateral leaflets, the other with more equal ones gradually narrowed to
the petiole, as Figs. 1 and 5. The difference is evidently the result of
the lateral or terminal position of the leaflets, as distinctly seen from the
lower fragment of Fig. 1. The nervation is the same, and the denticu-
lation of the borders is merely more or less enlarged, according to the
size of the leaflets. It is easy to recognize the close affinity of the fossil
species to Rhus t/jphiua, Linn., the staghorn Sumach, so frequently seen
on the eastern slope of North America. There is a difference, however,
in the generally longer linear leaflets of the living species, in the more
marked or larger denticulations of the borders, and in the more open
angle of divergence of the lateral veins, which are less regularly camp-
todrome, more generally entering the teeth by their points than by
branching veinlets. I find, however, among the specimens of R. typhina
some leaflets where these deviations or differences are scarcely notice-
able. The consistence of the fossil leaflets, though not coriaceous, is firm,
somewhat thick. In the fossil species of Rhus this one is comparable to
R. oblita, Sap., and R. dcrclicia, Sap., both of the Miocene of France, com-
pared by the author to Rhus typhina, to which, however, they are less
intimately allied than ours.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Col-
lection.
Rhus Boweniana, sp. nov.
PI IX. Figs. 8, 9.
Leaves pinnate ; leaflets unequilateral, oblong-oval, obtusely pointed ; secondary veins
numerous, pa rail I ; borders distantly obscurely denticulate.
30 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
These two leaflets seem at first like a variable form of R. typhinoides.
They have, however, all the secondary veins percurrent to the point of
the distant more obtuse teeth, and this difference is marked enough to
authorize a distinct specification. The specimens are too obscure (the
details of the areolation being obsolete on account of a coating of var-
nish) to offer precise indication of their relation. They may even repre-
sent leaflets of a trilobate species, as by their outlines and nervation
they have a degree of likeness to the leaves of R. diversifolia, Torr.
and Gr., of Oregon. This one, however, has the leaflets comparatively
broader, and still more indistinctly denticulate ; they are intermediate in
characters between the former and the following species.
Huhitat. — The specimens do not bear any reference number. They
seem to be from the same locality as that of the former species. Voy's
Collection.
Rhus mixta, sp. nov.
PL IX. Fig. 13.
Leaves pinnate ; leaflets linear or ovate-lanceolate, obtusely pointed, more or less une-
quilateral at the round-cuneate base; borders distinctly ami distant!;/ serrate;
nervation subcamptodrome.
The leaflets exposed upon the specimen appear to belong to the
same odd-pinnate leaf, the short oval ones being the terminal, and the
long, narrower, and linear representing the lateral ones. Though by
their facies they seem referable to a Cun/a, their nervation is that of a
Rhus, the secondary veins either curving under the teeth and entering
them by nervilles, or passing up directly to their points. These lateral
nerves are close, parallel, generally at an open angle of divergence, from
00° -70°, thick, deeply impressed, joined by fibrillar about in right angle.
All the details of areolation are obsolete. I clo not know of any more
marked relation to this species than that of Rhus typMna, Linn., which
it resembles by the linear form of the lateral leaves, and the close numer-
ous secondary veins of an equal angle of divergence. The fossil species
differs, however, by the broader shorter terminal leaflets being merely
obtusely pointed, and by the more distant teeth of the borders.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California. Professor J. D. Whitney.
Rhus. TEREBINTHINEjE. 31
Rhus myriceefolia, up. nov.
PL I. Figs. 5-8.
Leaves large pinnate ; leaflets oblong, lanceolate-pointed or acuminate, short-petioled ;
borders undulate and denticulati ; nervation mixed.
The consistence of the leatlets is hard, apparently coriaceous, the sur-
face undulate and smooth; their size is comparatively large, from eight
to thirteen and a half centimeters long, and one and a half to two and
a half centimeters broad. The form, cuneate to the base, is ovate lanceo-
late acute or oblongdanceolate, gradually passing up to a prolonged
acumen. As seen in the comparison of Figs. 5 and G, the borders
are more or less distinctly dentate, according to the size of the leaves ;
the dentations, however, being irregular in all ; they are also undulate
like the surface. The secondary nerves, as marked in Figs. 6 and 7,
are at a right angle of divergence near the base, gradually becoming
more oblique upwards, all curved in passing to the borders, where they
either enter the teeth or curve in passing under them, as in the former
species. By their shape, their consistence and nervation, these leaves are
similar to those of Mt/ncct, to which they should have been referred but
for the fragment (Fig. 5) which shows distinctly part of a compound leaf.
We do not have in our flora any species of Rhus of the same characters
as those of this species. It, however, belongs to the section of the Rhus
with smooth or naked pctioled pinnate leaves and serrate leatlets, like
R. viridiflora, Poir., R. glabra, Linn., especially represented at our time in
the North American flora. Fig. 8 is apparently a small crushed cone,
or a seed surrounded by an involucre. Its reference is not ascertained.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Rhus metopioides, «i>. nov.
PL VIII. Figs. 12, 13.
Tieaves /'innate; leaflets coriaceous, very entire, unequilateral, broadly ovate, abruptly
pointed, rounded /<> a short petiole; secondary nerves in right an git to the midrib,
subcamptodrome, separated by tertiary thinner veins anastomosing by veinlets at
various angles to the secondary on<*.
This form bears to the present Rhus metopiitm, Linn., of Cuba (found
also in cultivation at Key West and South Florida), the same degree of
32 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
relation as li. typhinoides bears to It. typhina. The shape of the leaves
is like that of the specimens from Cuba, whose nervation is, however,
more oblique to the midrib. The specimens of the cultivated plants of
the species which I have obtained in great number and finely preserved
from Key West, show in the direction of the secondary nerves in the
intermediate veins, in their anastomoses by veinlets of d liferent direction,
in the multiple bows along the borders, the same characters as in these
fossil leaves, whose nervation is equally very varied. Sometimes the
secondary nerves pass to the borders, and enter them mostly by branch-
lets, and the tertiary parallel veins always irregular, variously distant, join
them by nervilles, either oblicpie or in right angle, composing a series
of simple secondary bows, distant from the borders, to which they are
united also by nervilles. Sometimes the secondary nerves curve in large
bows at a greater distance from the borders, as in Fig. 13, and with ner-
villes in right angle upon their backs compose a second row of festoons
which follow close to the margins. In Fit!-. 12 the details of nervation
are less varied, and more closely resemble those of the living species.
The leaflets from Cuban specimens are cpiite as unequilateral as those of
this fossil species. Those of Florida are more regular, generally round
truncate, and equilateral. The leaves are indifferently three palmately
divided or imparip innate. By the nervation, Cclastrus Zacchariemis, Sap.,
of the Miocene of France (St. Zaccharie), is related to this. Its leaves,
however, are dentate or crenate.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Voy's Col-
lection.
Rhus dispersa, sp. nov.
PI. I. Ftg. 23.
Leaflet small, subcoriaceous, Ungulate, cuneate t<> an obtuse point, rounded, subcordate at
the base; borders denticulate from the middh, upwards; nervation stibcamptodrome.
This leaflet, of a very small size, one and a half centimeters long, and
scarcely seven millimeters broad, is evidently detached from a compound
leaf. Slightly and gradually enlarged upwards from the base, it is rap-
idly narrowed at the top into an obtuse point, and distinctly though dis-
tantly denticulate in its upper part. The secondary veins, mostly oppo-
site, irregular in distance, but parallel, go out from the narrow midrib in
an open angle of divergence, 50° to 60°, pass straight to very near the
Zanthoxylon. TEKEBIXTHIXE.R 33
borders, where they abruptly curve, joined to the teeth by branchlets,
or sometimes passing directly to their points. The intermediate areas
are divided by short tertiary veins, connected to nervilles at right angles,
or traversed by distinct veinlets also in right angle to the nerves. The
ultimate areolation is obsolete.
By the characters of its nervation this leaflet is equally referable to
Rhus or to Zanlhoxylon. In the species of this last genus the leaflets are
generally narrowed to the base, or to the petiole ; in some species of
Rhus they are sessile, and more generally rounded, truncate, or subcor-
date to the base.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, California, Mixed with the numerous small
leaves of Qncrcus convcxa. This was the only specimen found. Voy's
Collection.
ZANTHOXYLON, Linn.
Zanthoxylon diversifolium, sp. nov.
PL VIII. Figs. 14, 15.
Leaves pinnate or trifoliate; leaflet', very variable in size, subcoriaceous, entire, oblong-
oval, unequilateral, cuneiform at the base; nervation camptodrome.
At first siiiht it would seem that these two leaves belong to two dif-
ferent species, the largest one being at least seven centimeters long, and
nearly four wide, while the other is not half as large, though of the same
form. The characters of nervation are identical. The lateral nerves on a
broad angle of divergence, variable in distance, the upper ones nearly paral-
lel, curve in the same degree in traversing the areas toward the borders,
which they follow in simple bows prolonged by anastomosis of veinlets.
In both leaves the lowest secondary vein on the narrowed side passes up
in a very acute angle of divergence, joining the nerves above by anas-
tomoses, either with tertiary veins, or by thick veinlets at right-angles
lo the midrib. In both the ultimate areolation of equilateral or sub-
quadrate small meshes is formed by subdivision of the veinlets at right-
angles. It thus appears that we have two leaflets probably separated
from the same leaf, pinnately divided, like most of those of this genus.
I find no species in the present flora to which these leaves are related,
except Z. tiiphyttum, a trifoliate species from Brazil, communicated to me
34 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
under this name, but not described in the Prodromus. The relation is
rather in the size and form of the leaflets than in the nervation, which
in the Brazilian plant is analogous to that of Rhus mctopium, but with a
punctate areolation. In the fossil floras our species is distantly compar-
able to Z. integrifollum, Heer, Fl. Tert. Helv., III. p. 86, PI. CXXVII.
Figs. 27-30.
Habitat. — Bowen's Claim, Oregon, in connection with Quercus Boweniana,
and fragments of Acer vitifolium. Voy's Collection.
JUGLANS, Linn.
Juglans Californica, sp. now
PI. IX. Fig. 14. PI. X. Figs. 2, 3.
Leaves targe, entire, oblong-oval, obtuse, narrowed >>r rounded to the base; secondary
veins numerous, inequidistant, on an open angle of dirert/enee, i-amptodrome.
Nothing more can be observed of these leaves than is represented by
the figures. They are referable to the Juglans of the type of J. regia,
Linn., so widely known in cultivation, and spontaneous only in Asia.
We do not have it in America, wdiere even by cultivation it fails to
give evidence of prosperity. As the type is extremely common in the
Miocene of Europe, where it is represented by numerous species, some
of them varieties of the most common one, J. acuminata, Al. Br., and as
we have the same species also common in the North American Tertiary,
the fossil form of the California Chalk Bluffs may be considered as prob-
ably the last representative of this type upon the North American Con-
tinent. In the different appearances of its leaves, their form, their open
nervation, their shape, this species is related to J. acuminata var. latifolia,
Heer, Flor. Tert. Helv., III. p. 88, PI. CXXIX. Figs. 2-8. They are
generally narrower, more evidently broadly obtuse or taper pointed, rather
than abruptly acuminate. It is the only difference. The great variety
of the leaflets of the same species of Juglans may render advisable the
reference of these of the Californian Pliocene to Heer's species.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Juglans. TEREBIXTHIXE.E. 35
Juglans Oregoniana, sp. nov.
PL IX. Fig. 10.
Leaflet large, linear-oblong, slightly enlarged upwards; borders minutely crenate ; ner-
vation camptodrome.
This fine leaf is apparently very long, and probably abruptly pointed
(the point is broken). Its borders are minutely crenate, its secondary
nerves close, open, at a right angle of divergence toward the base, curved
in traversing the areas, following close to the borders in simple festoons,
and mostly simple or without branches, connected only by strong ner-
villes in right angle. The affinity of this species to Juglans nigella, Heer,
of the Alaska Flora (p. 38, PI. IX. Figs. 2-4), is very close, the difference
being merely in the more open lateral nerves toward the base of the
leaves, and in the minute obtuse denticulation of the borders, the leaves
from Alaska being sharply more coarsely serrate. The nervation, espe-
cially the distribution of the basilar nerves, is that of the present J. nigra,
Linn., which, however, has always some of its veins branching, and the
border teeth larger and more distant. The linear form of the leaves is
comparable to that of Juglans rupestris, Engelm.
Habitat. — On soft laminated clay with AraMa Whitnct/i, evidently of
the same age as the Chalk Bluffs of California, without definite locality
but Oregon. Voy's Collection.
Juglans laurinea, sp. nov.
PL IX. Fig. 11.
Leaflet oval, narrowed upwards to a blunt point, gradually narrowed in a curve to t/ie
unequilateral base; borders sharply distinctly serrate; nervation camptodrome.
The borders of this leaf are more distinctly serrate than in the former
species; the nervation is also of a different and peculiar type, the basilar
veins at an acute angle of divergence, about 30°, ascending from the thick
midrib high up, at a distance from the borders, and anastomosing in curves
to the first pair of secondary nerves above, which are open, more than 50°,
and parallel to the following pairs up to the top. This nervation, which
resembles that of some leaves of the Laurinece ; Lanrus, Tetranikera, is also
remarked in Juglans Baltica, Heer, a Miocene species which, however, greatly
differs by entire borders, and the disposition of the upper veins of the
36 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
leaflets. No species of Juglans, either fossil or living, is distinctly related
to this leaf. It has in its shape some likeness to J. Bilinica, Ung., whose
leaves are very variable in form and size, and sometimes as sharply ser-
rate as this one; but the characters of nervation are quite different.
Habited. — Chalk Bluffs, Nevada County, California. Voy's Collection.
Juglans egregia, sp. nov.
PI IX. Fig. 12 ; PI. X. Fig. 1.
Leaflets large, firm, but not quite coriaceous, oblong-lanceolate, rapidly narrowed to an
obtuse point ; more gradually attenuated to the petiole ; borders sharply, minutely,
distantly serrate ; nervation camptodrome.
Though the leaflets represented upon our plates are different, especially
in their size, they seem referable to the same species, all the characters,
except the rounded base of the leaves of Fig. 1, PI. X., being alike. Dif-
ferences of the same kind are generally remarked upon species of Juglans
of the present flora. The leaflets, eighteen to twenty centimeters long,
four to eight centimeters broad, are either oblanceolate, gradually nar-
rowed to the petiole, and obtusely pointed, or oblong, rounded to the
base, and rapidly attenuated or cuneiform to the point; the borders are
more or less distantly serrate from near the base, and the lateral nerves,
slightly more open toward the base, are generally equidistant, and on
the same angle of divergence, averaging 50°. They are, when distant,
separated by intermediate tertiary veins traversing to the middle of the
areas, where, joined by nervilles in right angle, they enter into the areo-
lation mostly composed of subdivisions of the nervilles, forming irregularly
square or equilateral large meshes. The veins following the borders in
simple bows are joined to the teeth by veinlets only, and do not enter
the borders by their ends. This character refers these fine leaves to
Juglans rather than to Carta, to which they have some likeness of shape.
No fossil species is comparable to this one, except, in a very distant
way, J. Bilinica, Ung, whose leaflets, as remarked above, are very variable
in shape.
Habitat. — Chalk Bluffs, California, with numerous fragments of Aralia
WMtneyi. Professor J. D. Whitney.
Cercocarpus. ROSIFLOIL-E. 37
ROSIFLORjE.
CERCOCARPUS., II. B. K.
Cercocarpus antiquus, sp. nov.
PI X. Figs. 6-11.
Leaves obovate, cuneiform to the base and to the point, dentate from the middle upwards ;
lateral veins close, parallel, craspedodrome.
The leaves, of a thick consistence, varying in size from two to six cen-
timeters long, and comparatively broad, are gradually narrowed down-
ward from the middle, slightly decurrent at the base to a short petiole,
and somewhat more obtusely cuneate to the point. The lateral veins
thick, but indefinite, close, parallel, on an acute angle of divergence of
40°, enter each one of the obtuse teeth which border the leaves from the
middle upwards, the lower part being entire. The surface seems covered
with a villous coating; for in Figs. 6, 7, and 10 the space between the
veins is indistinctly and irregularly lineate, as if the nervation was
obscured by hairs. These leaves are evidently referable to this genus;
they are, however, of an average size, somewhat larger than that of the
species now inhabiting the Rocky Mountains, and intermediate between
them and C. Father •gilloides, II. B. and Kunth., of Mexico. No species of
this genus has been found in a fossil state until now.
Habitat. — Table Mountain, Tuolumne County, California. Represented
by nu nerous specimens in Voy's Collection.
38 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS.
In the first volume of the Geological Report of California, Professor
J. D. Whitney, considering the age of the auriferous gravel and clay
heds where the fossil leaves descrihed above have been obtained, says
that, from the determination of a quantity of bones and teeth found in
this formation, it appears referable to the Pliocene. " Among them, remains
of the rhinoceros, of an animal allied to the hippopotamus, an extinct spe-
cies of horse, and a species allied to the camel had been recognized."1 He
also adds, as a confirmation of his conclusions, " that the works of man
have been so frequently found among the recent deposits of the aurifer-
ous gravel, and in such connection with the bones of the mastodon and
elephant, that it is hardly possible to escape the inference that the human
race existed before the disappearance of these animals from the region
which was once thickly inhabited by them."
Professor Whitney remarks on the same question, that a few speci-
mens of the leaves of Buckeye-Tunnel, Tuolumne County, were forwarded
to Professor Newberry, who made a preliminary investigation of them
and furnished some notes of its results, authorizing the conclusions that
these stratified deposits under the lava of Table Mountain are of Ter-
tiary age, and that in all probability they belong to the later Pliocene
epoch. Professor Newberry writes that " the leaves submitted to him
are quite different from those of any trees now living in California, and
that they are specifically distinct from those of the Miocene Tertiaries of
Oregon, Nebraska, or of any other part of the continent. They include
Tertiary and recent genera, such as Acer and Carpinus, and are there-
fore not older than the Miocene."
In 1872 Professor Whitney sent me from California a large number of
specimens of fossil plants, part of which — those from the auriferous depos-
its of Tuolumne and Nevada counties — represent the species described
above. The other half of the collection consists of specimens mostly from
1 Geological Survey of California. Geology, Vol. I. pp. 2.ri0 - 252.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 39
Miocene formations of Oregon, and a few also from California ; they are
reserved for a later publication. The relation of these plants is, however,
casually considered in this memoir.
In 1873 I delivered to Professor Whitney a preliminary report on these
plants, with descriptions of the species, remarking, as a conclusion, that
the flora of the auriferous gravel of California had a predominance of
species either identical or closely allied to some of the present North
American flora, but had still some representatives of Miocene types,
which imprinted on it a character of antiquity more marked than is
generally expected in the vegetation of a Pliocene period. I therefore
considered this group of plants as referable to the oldest Pliocene, or to
a formation intermediate between the Miocene and the Pliocene.
These conclusions were neither positive nor definitive, for we had then
for comparison, outside of the plants of our time preserved in the her-
bariums, merely palceontological works on the Miocene species of Europe,
and from this it was irrational to draw conclusions on the characters or
the relations, either antecedent or subsequent, of a flora so closely allied
to that of the present epoch of North America, whose types, especially
for the arborescent species, are far different from those of Europe.
Now the circumstances are greatly changed in this country, and have
become far more favorable to the studies of the palaeophytologists. The
collections of specimens have been enriched in a remarkable degree by
the discoveries of later years, and what has been published until now
on the vegetable remains of the Mesozoic and Camozoic formations of this
continent may be used with a degree of reliance for the determination
of the geological age of some deposits, or at least for defining the rela-
tion of the groups of plants pertaining to them.
The Cretaceous flora of the Dakota group deserves first to be mentioned,
not merely on account of its precedence in the order of the discoveries,
but especially on account of the remarkable characters of its dicotyledo-
nous leaves, which already represent some t^ypes reproduced in species
living at our time, and, as may be reliably inferred, in those of the inter-
mediate formations. Our first acquaintance with those plants is derived
from the discovery made by Dr. F. V. Harden in Nebraska of a few
leaves apparently referable to Sassafras, Liriodendron, PZatanns, etc., and
from the discussions on their characters and their true relation, as recorded
in the American Journal of Sciences and Arts of 1859, especially. This
40 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
was a mere beginning of a scientific exposition of general interest. For
the presence of highly developed vegetable types in the Cretaceous was
a fact as surprising to European palaeontologists as to those of this con-
tinent, and of course induced more extensive and careful researches in
the same field.
In I860 Ilecr published the Phyttites Cretacees du Nebraska, from speci-
mens collected by Professors Marcou and Capellini in a tour of explora-
tion especially undertaken for the purpose of ascertaining the accuracy
of the geological determination of the deposits where the so-called Cre-
taceous leaves had been found. Seventeen species or vegetable forms
are described and figured in this memoir. Later, in 1868, two other
papers were prepared from specimens of Cretaceous leaves collected by
Professor F. V. Hayden, — one by Professor Newberry, the other by myself.
Both are without figures, intended merely as an exposition of specific
characters of plants which had to be more fully described in monographs.
The plates of eighteen species prepared by Professor Newberry for his
work have been engraved, but not yet published.
The number of specimens of Cretaceous plants having been consider-
ably increased by the explorations of Professor Hayden and myself in
Nebraska and Kansas, I was requested to prepare for publication all the
vegetable Cretaceous forms which were then under examination; and
these were described and figured in the sixth volume of the Report of
the United States Geological Survey of the Territories, 1874. This work
represents one hundred and thirty Cretaceous species, figured in thirty
plates. In the following }'ear I made a revision of this volume in the
Annual Report of Dr. F. V. Hayden, with description and figures of
twenty-six new species, from specimens received after the publication of
the Cretaceous flora. Thus, from the different works mentioned above,
the Cretaceous flora of this continent is represented by about two hun-
dred specified forms.
Our acquaintance with the vegetable palaeontology of the North Ameri-
can Tertiary has been also widely advanced of late, especially by the
United States geological explorations of the Western Territories under
the direction of Dr. F. V. Hayden. In 1800 this Tertiary flora was repre-
sented merely by six species, described and figured by Professor J. D.
Dana in the Report of the United States Exploring Expedition under
the command of Lieutenant Charles Wilkes, from materials found on the
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 41
northwest of Washington Territory near Frazer River ; and by short
preliminary descriptions of my own, in the American Journal of Sciences
and Arts, of three small groups of fossil plants from far distant localities
and different geological ages. The materials of the first had heen obtained
by Dr. John Evans from Vancouver and Bellingham Bay;1 they repre-
sent fourteen species. Those of the second came from Southern Ten-
nessee, sent by Professor James Safford, who published in his Report
descriptions and figures of the eleven species determined from his speci-
mens. The specimens of the third were obtained by myself from the
Chalk Bluffs of the Mississippi, near Columbus, Kentucky. They repre-
sent only seven species which have not been figured. In 1861 Professor
Ileer published in a separate pamphlet, with two plates of illustrations,
seven species from a lot of materials sent to him as collected by Dr.
C. B. Wood at Nanaimo, Vancouver Island, and Burrard Inlet. In 1863
Professor Newberry recorded in the Boston Journal of Natural History
the characters of seven species procured by the geologists of the Boun-
dary Commission. And the same year I published in the Transactions
of the American Philosophical Society of Philadelphia thirty species from
important materials communicated by Professor Eugene W. Hilgard, then
State Geologist of Mississippi. The species are figured in nine plates. In
1868 Professor Newberry described and reviewed in a valuable memoir,
"The Ancient Floras of North America," forty Tertiary species from the
Fort Union group, all from specimens procured by Dr. F. V. Hayden in
his explorations of the Western Territories,2 and the same year I pre-
pared a preliminary report on the characters of twenty-two vegetable
Tertiary forms, from materials procured by Dr. John L. Leconte in his
geological survey for the Union Pacific Railroad, and from specimens
sent by Dr. F. V. Hayden. To this we have to add. for this decade of
years, as an important work on the Tertiary plants of North America,
the "Fossil Flora of Alaska" (Flora Fossilis Alaskana), by Ileer, with an
introduction anil general remarks in German, and the descriptions in Latin
of fifty-six species, illustrated by ten plates. The plants are all referred
to the Miocene.
Since 1870, and from the specimens collected by the United States
1 Tin- spurn's were described in detail and figured Cor :i Reporl in preparation by Dr. Evans, then
United Stuics Geologist. But, so far us I know, ilii> Report has not been published.
'-' These species have been figured and engraved later ■with those of tin- Cretaceous mentioned above.
42 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
explorations of the Western Territories for the Department of the Inte-
rior, I have prepared each year for the annual reports of Dr. F. V.
Hayden, the director of the explorations, a review of the progress of
the discoveries in vegetable palaeontology, and given preliminary descrip-
tions of the species (1870-1875). And then a revision of all the
materials has been made for the preparation of the seventh volume of
the monographs of the survey, the "Fossil Flora of the Tertiary Forma-
tions of the Western Territories," which is now published. It describes
three hundred and thirty vegetable forms, represented in sixty-five plates
of illustrations. If to this be added the species described by Professors
Heer and Newberry, and those from Oregon, already described and fig-
ured, the number of North American Tertiary plants known up to this
time is not far from five hundred. With the Cretaceous species, they
constitute already an important amount of palaeontological data, which
may be used with advantage in botanical pursuits.
Of course I have profited by these documents as far as it was possible
in preparing the present Report, which, however, may be received by
practical botanists with some misgiving; for the determinations of fossil
vegetable remains are extremely difficult, and generally somewhat uncer-
tain; and therefore the conclusions derived from their characters are gen-
erally considered as more or less unsatisfactory. In this case, however,
as the essential types of the plants of the auriferous gravel are very
distinct, and clearly represented by specimens in a good state of preser-
vation, I believe that they will be easily recognized even by botanists
unacquainted with palaeontology.
In the table on pages 56, 57, will be found a synopsis of the essen-
tial points to be considered in regard to the deductions and conclu-
sions derivable from the relations of characters and of distribution of
species.
I have to explain, first, why the number of the so-called new species
is so large for a list of a mere group of fifty plants.
Until now the Pliocene floras of Europe have been scarcely considered,
though evidently they only can afford a key to the secret history of the
distribution of the present vegetation, in some countries at least, by
exposing the prefigurement of its characters. On this subject there is,
to this time, no work of importance, except the " Flora of Maxiinieux,"
by Saporta and Marion. It is a splendid, remarkable work, indeed, which
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 43
describes thirty-two species, and quotes, in the comparative examination,
most of those known in Europe from the same formation. Not one of them,
however, offers a close affinity to the plants of the Chalk Bluffs. This
difference is explainable by the likeness of the characters of the Plio-
cene species to those of the present time, — a relation which reduces the
affinities to local or geographical limits, as they are now. The circum-
scriptions are wider, or the geographical areas less distinctly fixed in
older o-eolo^ical divisions, and thus the flora of the Chalk Bluffs has
some Miocene species identifiable in Europe, but none of its Pliocene
as yet.
On another side, in coining nearer to the present period the vegetable
forms become more and more similar to those of our time, some being
apparently identical. But it is very difficult to make out positive iden-
tity from the characters of leaves only. The identity is probable, evi-
dent to the eyes of the observer; but it cannot be proved. For species
of this kind a derivative appellation, indicating supposed identity, like
pscado or the terminative ites, seems more appropriate. The authors of
the "Flora of Maximieux" append to the specific name the epithet pliocene,
and thus have Pojmlus alba (pliocemca), etc.
The Miocene relation of the flora of the Chalk Bluffs is indicated by
a few identical species : Fagus Antipofi, Heer, described from the Miocene
of Alaska, of France, and of Arctic Russia ; Populus Zaddachi, Heer, pre-
dominant in the Upper Miocene of the Baltic, and found also in the same
formation of Alaska, Greenland, and Spitzbergen ; Ficus tilicefotia, Al. Br.,
present in the whole Miocene of Europe as far north as (Eningen, and
in the North American from the Lower Lignitic measures, which I con-
sider as Lower Eocene, through the different stages of the Tertiary ; Ardlia
Zaddachi? Heer, whose identification is as certain as it can be made in
the comparison of our specimens with the mere fragment which repre-
sents this species from the Baltic Miocene. Besides this, we find a marked
affinity between Qitercus elcenoides and Q. elcena, Ung., a common Miocene
species of Europe ; SaUz elliptica, related to S. varians, Goepp. ; Ficus sor-
did,/, closely allied to, if not. identical with, F. Groenhndica, Heer, of Green-
land; F. mwrophyUa, which seems a mere diminutive form of F. plamcostcda,
a common species of the Lower Lignitic of the Rocky Mountains; Aralia
Whitneyi, related to A. affinh of the group of Evanston, Middle or Upper
Eocene ; Acer wiptidadaltoit. related to Acer vUifolium of (Eningen in a
44 FOSSTL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
degree which cannot be fixed on account of the deficiency of the speci-
mens by which this last form is represented ; Juglans Calif arnica, com-
parable to J. acuminata, var. latifolia, Heer, a species of wide distribution
in the Tertiary, mostly Miocene, of Europe and of this country ; and J.
Orcgoniana, which bears the same degree of affinity to J. nigetta, Heer, of
Alaska. Thus the Miocene or Tertiary facies of the flora of the Chalk
Bluffs is manifested by four identical species, and by eight more or less
intimately related to Tertiary species of this country or of Europe. It
must be remarked, however, that, except the two species of Ficvs, these
last-named forms are truly intermediate in their relation, which, as seen
here below, is quite as close with types of the present flora as it is
with Tertiary ones. The comparison of these species, taken all together,
gives a propoition of less than twenty-five per cent, as indicative of the
Miocene character in the flora of the auriferous gravel. As the table
shows, the more evident relation of the above species is with those
recognized in the Tertiary of Alaska, and in the Lignitic of the Rocky
Mountains by identity, more or less distinct, with Fagus Antipqfi, Poputus
Zadclachi, Ficus tilicefolia, F. microphylla, F. Groenhndica, this one only from
Greenland ; and that, therefore, the oldest types of the flora of the Chalk
Bluffs are mostly American. Indeed, some of these types, as will be seen
hereafter, may be clearly traced up to the Cretaceous of the Dakota
group.
The degree of relation of the plants of the above table with species
of the present flora is much higher. As identical, as far as leaves may
show identity, we find Bctula wquatis with B. occidentals ; Fagus pseudo-
ferrvginea intermediate between F. ferruginea and F. sylvatica ; Querent
Whitneyi with Q. bjrata; Castanca chrysophylloides with C. chrysophglla ; Ulmus
Californica with U. alala ; U. pseudo-fulva with TJ. fulva ; Pcrsca pscudo- Caroli-
nensis with P. Carolinensis ; Comas oralis with C. sessilis or C. Mas ; Mag-
nolia lanceolata and 31. Californica with M. acuminata and M. cor data ; Bhus
typhinoides and B. metopioides with B. typhind and B. metopium. Juglans
Californica is referable to the old type J. acuminata, now represented
only by the Asiatic J. regia, widely distributed by cultivation. Besides,
there is an evident, though less distinct relation between Qucrcus ekenoi-
des and Q. convene with Q. virens and its variety ; (f Nevadensis with Q.
castanea : <J. Bowcniana, Q. distincta, Q. Goepperti, and Q. Voyana with Q. agri-
folia of California, and a group of Mexican Oaks, Q. crassifoUa, Q. Hum-
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 45
boldtii, etc.; Salix Califoniica with S. sessiUfolia of Oregon ; S. ellipiica with
*S'. capreoides of California; two species of Platonics with P. oceidentalis, the
form of the stipules of P. appendiculata, referring it more particularly to
P. Kndeniana, which, however, is considered a Southern or Mexican variety
of P. occidentalism Liquidambar CaUfornicum with Z. acerifolium of Japan;
Convus Kelloggii with ('. Nuttallii of California; Jor cequidentatum with A
spicatum ; A Bolanderi with .1. tripartitim and grandidentatvm of the Eocky
Mountains; Jiiglans Oregoniam with P. rupestris of the mountains of New
Mexico and California, and Cercocarpus antiquns, intermediate in the size
of its leaves between C. fothergiUoides of Mexico and C. ledifoUus, now inhab-
iting the slopes of the mountains from Colorado to California. Therefore
types of the present flora are represented in that of the Chalk Bluffs
by fourteen probably identical species, counting Cercocarpus and Jut/Inns
Califoniica, and by sixteen more or less intimately related ones, or in a
relation more than double in degree of what it is in the Miocene. On the
species of this list also, the same remark can be made as on those of
the former; they represent most of all true American types. Indeed, of
the fifty species of the table, there are none strange to the present North
American flora, except the two species of Ficus pertaining to a peculiar
division of the genus, predominant in the Tertiary of both continents, but
now disappeared, it seems, or merely represented })y F. caricn, everywhere
cultivated in an infinity of varieties, and Juglans Californica, the offspring
nl' ./. acuminata, apparently the ancestor of -/. rcgin, which is as generally
known and cultivated, in Europe at least, as the Fig. I have compared
Zanthoxylon diversifolium to Z. tnphyllum on account of the peculiar similarity
of its leaves to those of the Brazilian species; but the Pliocene form is
as closely related by some of its characters to Z. integrifolium of the Mio-
cene of GEningen,, to which, according to Heer, Z. Americanum bears the
nearest affinity. Hence it is evident that the general character of the
Pliocene Mora of the auriferous gravel deposits is truly North American,
<>r that it is most nearly related to that of the present epoch.
The assertion, however, does not apply to the present flora of California,
where none of the more predominant genera recognized in the Pliocene
plants are represented. Fagus, Quercus (of the subdivision of Q. lircns,
Q. castanea, and Q. lyrata), Liquidambar, Hums, Persea, Magnolia, Acer (the
section of .1. spicatum and ,1. rubrum), Tkx, Rhus (with pinnately divided
leaves). Zantlwxylum, are all generic divisions amply represented in the
4g FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
Pliocene flora of California, and in the present flora of the Atlantic slope
of this continent, but not at all in that of the Pacific,
This remarkable dislocation of the flora of the Pliocene from that of
California may be explained in two ways: either by modifications in the
physical circumstances of the Pacific slope of the United States after
the Pliocene epoch, or by the old hypothesis of a case of spontaneous
production of new vegetable types, which were supposed to be generated
for every new geological formation.
To set aside this last hypothesis, we have only to refer briefly to the
essential characters of the ancient floras of North America from the ap-
pearance of the dicotyledonous plants in the Cretaceous, and to see
if the essential types of the Atlantic flora and of the Pliocene of Cali-
fornia are there already distinctly recognized. To do this I will merely
consider the more marked groups of arborescent vegetables in the order
in which they are described in Gray's "Botany of the Northern United
States."
Beginning with the Magnoliacca7, this family of plants is positively Cre-
taceous. Species of Magnolia first described from the Dakota group of
Nebraska and Kansas (also from the Cretaceous of Moletin, Germany)
are found, more and more related to those of the present time, in the
Eocene Lignitic of the Mississippi and that of the Rocky Mountains,
especially of New Mexico ; in the Miocene of Carbon and in the Pliocene
of California, where the specific forms become apparently identical with
some of those known now and described by Gray. Liriodcndron is one
of the best defined genera of the same Cretaceous formation, the Dakota
group, where its numerous leaves have been referred to three species,
one of them scarceky different by the character of its leaves from those
of the living Tulip-tree. There is also an Asitrim known by its leaves in
the Miocene of Carbon, and another by its fruits in the Eocene of the
Mississippi. The Meni&permacece have, in the American Cretaceous, leaves
of characters quite similar to those of Menispermiim Canadense and Coccu-
lus CaroUnus. To represent the Nymphacece, there arc two species of Nelvm-
binm in the Eocene of Colorado. The Anacardiaccw have a Zanthoxylum and
a number of species of Rhus in the Pliocene of California, and still more
of a similar type in the Upper Miocene of Colorado. This last order
seems to be of recent origin, while the Vitacece, Cretaceous by different
leaves described under the generic name of Ampehphyllum, appear more
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 47
distinctly in the Eocene by a number of species of Cissus and Vitis, one
of which is recognized in the Lower Miocene of Carbon, and by a hue
Ampelopsis scarcely distinct from A. qidnquefolia, in the Upper Miocene of
Colorado. The fflianmacece, already in the Cretaceous in one species, be-
come predominant in the Eocene of the Territories with Berchemia leaves,
which, though described under a proper specific name, cannot be posi-
tively distinguished from B. volubilis. Of the following orders in the
vegetable series, the Tertiary has especially species of Celastrus, Ceanoihus,
and Sapinclns, this last in abundance mostly from the Miocene, with Acer,
Negundo, anil Staphylea. The Miocene species of the last genus is hardly
separable bom ,S'. trifoliata. The Leguminosem and the Rosacece are little
known, and the few forms described are not as yet comparable to those
of the present time. The first order has in our present vegetation mostly
herbaceous plants. In the second we have a Spircea in the flora of Alaska
and another in that of Florissant, Colorado. A Crataegus is also present in
the Eocene of Golden. I have described as Hamamelites some Cretaceous
leaves considered by Saporta as related to Hamamelis ; we have, however,
no leaves in the Tertiary which might by relation of types authorize this
reference. But the Araliacece are positively Cretaceous. Species of Aralia
described from the Dakota group are reproduced in close conformity
of types in the Upper Eocene of Evanston, and especially in the Plio-
cene of California. Comparing, for instance, Aralia qidnquepartita of the
Cretaceous Flora (PI. XV. Fig. 6), and A. Towneri (PI. IV. Fig. 1) of Dr. F. V.
Hayden's Annual Report of 1874, with Figs. 4 and 5, PI. V.. of this memoir,
the likeness will certainly appear striking. The fine leaf of A. Saportana,
also, with its shorter lobe and fan-like form, is comparable to .1. Wliitnn/i,
while the present forms of Aralia with serrate lobes have a more distant
affinity to a new species with crenate lobes recently sent from the Creta-
ceous of Colorado. This one is quite near to A. furmosa, Heer, of Moletin,
perhaps identical with it.1 The Cornaccw have numerous species of Cormis
in the Eocene and two in the Pliocene of California, while Ngssa is by
leaves and fruits at Evanston. Viburnum represents the CaprifoUaceoe by a,
large number of leaves of different species of the Eocene. Their charac-
ters refer them as intermediate to V. dentatum and I', fantanoides, and one
of them to V. ellipticum of Oregon. Professor Newberry describes in his
Ancient Floras two species from the Fort Union group. We have none as
1 //< il< ra, also, the well-known Ivy introduced from Europe, is of Cretaceous origin on ihi> continent.
48 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIERRA NEVADA.
yet from more recent formations. The fossil Ericaceae are few and scarcely
defined by their leaves. Andromeda Grayana is recognized by Ileer in
the Miocene of Burrard Inlet and in that of Alaska. I have it from
Spring Canon, and, as far as it may be identified from the incomplete
specimens, it is in the Dakota group already. The Aquifoliaccw have species
of Ilex from the Upper Miocene of Florissant : one belongs to the section
Aquifolium ; the others, with the one described here from the Pliocene, to
that of the Priiwides. In the Ebenacew we find in the Cretaceous one spe-
cies of Diospiji-os. The genus then is represented by two others from
Black Butte, one from British Columbia, and one from Evanston. These
are related to some of the species of the European Miocene. Another of a
different character is described from Florissant. The Lauracece are already
in the Dakota Cretaceous by leaves and fruit, and continue in all our geo-
logical formations in leaves indifferently referable to Laurus and Persia.
It is the same with Ginnamonium, a genus mostly Miocene in Europe, where
it has a number of specific forms. One American species, G. affine,
closely related to the beautiful C. Mississippiense, of the Southern Tertiary
Lignitic, is in the Eocene of Colorado and in the Miocene of Carbon. A
Tetranthera with leaves and branches bearing fruits, found at Evanston,
is seemingly identical with T. laurifolia of Cuba. With this there is in
the Cretaceous a prodigious quantity of leaves apparently referable to
Sassafras, a genus known also from the Miocene of Greenland. If, there-
fore, no remains of Sassafras have been found until now in the sub-
sequent geological formations of North America, this is probably to be
accounted for by our limited acquaintance with our fossil flora, especially
with that of the Lower Miocene. Of the Oleacem, species of Fraxinus arc in
the Eocene and in both stages of the Miocene. Hitherto I have passed in
review the botanical divisions where the arborescent forms are not the
predominant ones, and where therefore the series of the fossil representa-
tives are forcibly interrupted. But, coining to the Urticinece, the Amentaceoe,
and the Conifer*, we find in the old formations such an array of species
analogous to those of the present Moras of Eastern North America, that these
only would suffice to force the reference of the arborescent types of our vege-
tation to those of the "•eoloincal times. Ulmus and Planera, of eompara-
tively recent origin, abound in the Upper Miocene of the Territories,
the first represented by forms so very similar to those of the Pliocene
of California and of the Atlantic flora that the specific differences are
GEXEUAL CONCLUSIONS. 49
very difficult to fix. Plaiamts has a number of species in the Cretaceous
one, especially related to P. occidentalis. The same type is then followed
by P. Hardenii of the Eocene, where other and different species are found
also ; by P. aceroides and P. GuUelmce of the Miocene of Carbon ; and by
the species of the Pliocene of California. It is the same with Juglans and
Carya, not positively recognized, however, in the Cretaceous, but already
present by different species in the Eocene of Colorado and the Mississippi,
and henceforth in the subsequent formations. No less than six species
of fossil Juglans have been described (without counting those of the Plio-
cene, where all the types are represented), and a fine Can/a, C. antiquorum ;
generally found in a profusion of specimens. Of Quercus, two of the types
of the present North American flora are already in the Cretaceous, — that
of the Q. castanea, also in the Miocene of Alaska, wherefrom Heer describes
a Q. pseudo-castanea, and that of Q. imbricaria. In the Eocene of Golden,
Q. angustiloha recalls our Q.falcala. Eighteen forms of Quercus, recognized
in the Ligriitic Tertiary flora, show to those of our time an analogy becom-
ing still more distinct by the species of the Pliocene. Castanea is Miocene,
or even perhaps Cretaceous, by the leaves referred to the genus Dryophyl-
lum of the European authors. Of Fagus, the Cretaceous leaves are not
distinguishable by any evident characters from those of the living P. syl-
vatica and P. ferruginea. Corylus is Eocene. Dr. Newberry has described
from the Fort Union group leaves of this genus under the specific name
of C. Americana and C. rostrata, while C. Macquarrii, Heer, a species inter-
mediate between these two, is richly represented in the Alaska Miocene
flora. There we have also Liquidambar, Myrica, Alnus, Betula, Carpinus, in
specific forms, if not identical, at least closely allied to those of the Eastern
North American flora. These genera are mostly Miocene ; one. Myrica, is in
the Eocene of Black Butte. Leaves described as Popidites from the Creta-
ceous of the Dakota group may represent the first forms of Populiis, a
genus which becomes more distinctly and more abundantly represented,
like Myrica, in the Upper Miocene of Colorado, where the type of Comp-
tonia has two or three species. If we add Salix, distinct in the Cretaceous,
the Eocene, and the Miocene by species analogous to those of our time
and to one of those of the Pliocene, we have passed, without scarcely
omitting an}- genus of arborescent plants, the whole series of the generic
divisions described in Gray's flora, except the Conifers, which, though
absent at some localities. - in the Eocene of Golden, for example, in the
50 FOSSIL FLOEA OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
Pliocene of the auriferous gravel of California also, — show by their repre-
sentatives at other stations an uninterrupted relation to those of the present
times. In the Cretaceous we find four species of Sequoia, one Glyptostrobus,
and one Piniis. From the Eocene of Point of Rocks and Black Bntte, a
formation still considered by some geologists as Cretaceous, five species
of Sequoia and two Abietites are described. S. brevifolia is very closely
related to 8. Langsdorfii ; and this, found also in the Eocene, and more
abundant still in the Upper Miocene of Florissant, is, by the remarkable
affinity of characters, the ancestor of 8. sempervirens, the Redwood of
California, as S. affiius, also of the Upper Miocene, is that of 8. gigantea
(the big trees). At Carbon, and in the same Miocene formation near
Fort Fetterman, Taxodium distichum (miocenicum) abounds. Its name indi-
cates specific identity with the Bald Cypress of the Atlantic flora.
I am forcibly limited here to this short review, where I cannot take into
account any specifications and enter into details which would render more
evident the relation of the present North American Eastern flora to that
of the geological times. But this is enough to prove that from the Cre-
taceous up there is no break in the chain which unites by links of succes-
sive modifications the types of the present vegetation with those of the
geological times.
Professor Gray in his Memoir on the Botany of Japan,1 considering a
few data derived from unimportant materials which I had obtained in the
Chalk Bluffs of the Mississippi, recognizes, by a remarkable prevision,
the ancient relations of the vegetation of the eastern slope of the conti-
nent. He says on the subject:2 "Here may be adduced the direct
evidence, recently brought to light, of the presence of the Live Oak
(Quercus virens), Pecan (Carya oUvceformis), Chinquapin {Costarica pumila),
Planer-tree (Planera Gmelini), Hone}' Locust (Gleditschia triacanthos), Prinos
coriaccus, and Acorus calamus, besides an Elm and a Ceanothus, doubtfully refer-
able to existing species, — on the Mississippi, near Columbus, Kentucky,
in beds of a formation anterior to the drift, and whose position is indi-
cated by Professor D. D. Owen as about one bundled and twenty feet
below the ferruginous sand, in which the bones of the Mrgalonyx Jeffersorti
were found. All the vegetable remains which have been obtained in a
1 Memoir on the Botany of Japan, ami its Relation to that of North America, in Mem. of the Amer.
Acad, of Arts and Sri., Vol. VI. p. 44 7.
2 Airier. Journ. of Science and Arts, 2d Ser. No. SI, May, 1Sj9.
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 51
determinable condition have been referred, either positively or probablv,
to existing species of the United States flora, most of them now inhab-
iting; a few degrees farther south."1
Professor Heer also, in his Flora of Alaska, admits that the essential
types of the North American vegetation of our time are far more distinct
there than they are in the Miocene of Europe. This, therefore, invalidates
the old hypothesis of the migration of vegetable Miocene species from
Europe to America, a supposition which was warranted at the time by
the relation of our present Northeastern flora with that of the European
Tertiary.
What is known of the disturbances which have followed the Pliocene
epoch in California is sufficient to explain the destruction of its flora,
Professor J. D. Whitney says of the auriferous deposits of Tuolumne
County, from which were obtained a large number of the specimens
described here, that the Table Mountain covering them has been formed
by a flow of lava which filled the valley after running forty miles down
the slopes of the Sierra, and forming a continuous ridge elevated more
than two thousand feet. The lava covers detrital beds of gravelly mate-
rials which in the centre of the valley are fully two hundred feet thick ;
ami from the data exposed in detail in his Report, Professor Whitney
estimates the amount of denudation, during the period since the volcanic
ina>s took its present position, at three or four thousand feet of perpen-
dicular depth. And yet this was done during the most recent geological
epoch, and these surprising changes have not been peculiar to this region,
hut the whole slope of the Sierras through the gold region has been
the scene of similar volcanic overflows and subsequent remodellings of
the surface into a new system of relief and depressions.-
This tells the whole story, and clearly accounts for the disappearance
of a number of vegetable Pliocene types in California during the recent
geological epochs by marine submersion, the all-destroying glacial agency,
and volcanic cataclysms of long duration; and contrariwise it explains their
preservation on the eastern part of the continent, where the destructive
1 Some of the species of the ('hulk Bluffs of California have a remarkable affinity to those of the
Pliocene of the Mississippi, above referred to by Professor Gray, — Quercm virens and its varieties, for
example. The lithological characters of tin- clay-beds, which at Columbus, Kentucky, are overlaid by
a thick deposit of agglomerated gravel, arc also the same, so that it mighl not l»- inconsistent to
admit synchronism for thofe two formations.
: Geological Survey of California, by J. 1). Whitney, State Geologist. Geology, Vol. T. pp. 244, 245.
52 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE SIEERA NEVADA.
influences have left less irrefragable marks of their activity. The ves-
tiges of glacial action — moraines, erosions, striated rocks — are seen every-
where in the valleys of California; while the glacial drift on the eastern
slope of the United States scarcely passes south of the Ohio River. And
as the immense plains extending from the Missouri River to the base
of the Rocky Mountains have evidently been covered by water during
the prevalence of the terrace epoch, or after the glacial period, this bar-
rier, and also that of the chain of mountains still more impassable to
plants than to water, forcibly prevented a western redistribution of the
species destroyed in California by glacial agency.
Notwithstanding these destructive influences, the flora of California still
preserves a few of the Pliocene types, and these, by their present habitat
and the apparent modifications of their characters, seem to point to what
have been the essential causes of the disappearance of the others. For
instance, Betula cequalis, Acer Bolanderi, Cercocarpus antiqwus, have now repre-
sentatives which seem to have been gradually dwarfed or modified by
the influence of the cold, and thus acclimatized gradually to the tempera-
ture of the subalpine zone which they now inhabit. Preserved during
the glacial period in some sheltered nook, they have thus apparently
wandered gradually to the mountains, following the disappearance of the
ice. A few other species have remained with their typical characters and
their habitat, — Castaneopsis chrysophylla and Cornns Kelloggii, for instance,
plants of hard texture and of great tenacity of life. According to the
data kindly furnished by Professor Bolander, these species inhabit now
near Oakland from an altitude of 1,800 feet to the Sierras, where Cas-
taneopsis chrysophylla is met with to an altitude of 8.000 feet. Very few,
if any, arborescent species of the present time have such a vertical
range of more than live thousand feet. Cornus Kelloggii, according to the
same authority, occupies the base of densely wooded slopes of the Sierras,
or is found in open places, where there is sufficient terrestrial moisture;
even in boggy places of the Yosemite Valley, ascending to 5,000 feet.
Another species, Cornus ovaUs, which was probably very abundant in the
Pliocene flora, has been about totally destroyed in California. It looks
like an isolated remnant of a type mostly driven southward at the glacial
period, and now inhabiting Mexico. The two species of Sequoia — one
the more predominant, the other the more remarkable, of the flora of
California — are evidently also remnants of the Pliocene. S. gigantea, which
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 53
in all probability covered the higher slopes of the mountains of that epoch,
has been destroyed everywhere, except in some deep valleys surrounded
with walls of high granitic peaks, where it stands as a wonder of the
vegetation of this continent. The other, >S'. sempervirens, left here and
there, has again taken the ascendency under more favorable physical
circumstances. Its present distribution explains its preservation until the
present epoch. According to Professor Bolander, " the distribution of the
Redwood depends upon sandstone and oceanic fogs. Where either one
of these conditions is wanting there is no Redwood. The Redwoods
begin in the northern part of Monterey County, in isolated groups, in
deep, moist canons. A short distance south of Monterey City, on the
.Monterey Bay, a white bituminous slate sets in, and extends nearly to
Pajaro River. On this no Redwood is found but Pinus iu^it/ui*. At Pajaro
River, eight to ten miles from the ocean, they set in again, and extend
to nearly twenty-eight miles south of this city (San Francisco), either in
deep canons, or in groves extending over several ridges eastward as far
as the fog may reach. Thus they continue in similar localities to latitude
42°, the State boundary."
From these facts, as also from what is known of the general distribu-
tion of Conifers, generally depending on a high degree of atmospheric
moisture, the character of the flora of the Chalk Bluffs indicates the geo-
graphical station of the localities where the Pliocene plants have been
found, as that of a region sheltered by ranges of mountains against the
influence of the Pacilic fogs, and whose vegetation has been influenced
by circumstances analogous to those governing it, as at the present
time.
The plants described here from the Pliocene clearly expose the climate
of the period which they represent. They record a temperature a few
degrees higher, in the average, than that of Middle California, or, like the
species of the Chalk Bluffs of the Mississippi, they represent a latitude
of a few degrees farther south. The Palms were very rare in this flora ;
only a single specimen of a Sabal is found in the whole collection.
Nevada County is on the 39th parallel of latitude, and a species of Palm
still inhabits California under the 34th degree. For the Mississippi Valley,
Sabal and Chamcerops species have their northern limits also under this
same latitude. The action of a warmer climate seems indicated by the
Oaks of the Mexican type, and bv species of Ficus ; hut this is counter-
54 FOSSIL FLOEA OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
balanced by species of Beiula, Fagus, Ubnus, etc., whose range of distribu-
tion goes much farther north, and scarcely descends below the 30th parallel.
Hence, a climate like that of the gulf shores, the zone of the Live Oak,
is about the same as that represented by the fossil plants described from
Nevada County.
As a conclusion to these remarks, the essential points of information
derived from the examination of the groups of plants of the Chalk Bluffs
of Nevada and Tuolumne Counties, California, may be briefly recalled as
follows : —
1. This flora is, up to this time, limited to fifty species. These are re-
lated by some identical or closely allied forms to the Miocene, and still
more intimately by others to the present flora of the North American
continent.
2. The North American facies is traced by some species to the Mio-
cene, the Eocene, even the Cretaceous of the Western Territories. Hence
it is not possible to persist in considering the essential types of the pres-
ent North American flora as derived by migration from Europe or from
Asia, either during the prevalence of the Miocene or after it. This flora
is connatural and autochthonic.
3. The relation of the Pliocene plants of Nevada and Tuolumne Coun-
ties is with the flora of the Atlantic slope, and not with that of Cali-
fornia at the present time. This fact is explained by the influence of
glacial action during the prevalence of the ice period, and is even clearly
exposed by the distribution of the few Pliocene species remaining ia the
flora of the Pacific coast. The modification of the characters of the pres-
ent flora of California have, therefore, to be looked for in climatic or
other phenomena subsequent to the glacial period. This remarkable fact,
so clearly demonstrated by nature, may serve as an exemplification of
the causes of the disconnection of some of the other groups of our geo-
logical floras.
4. This small group of Pliocene fossil plants from California denotes
the importance of the study of the North American Pliocene in relation
to that of the characters and of the distribution of the present flora of
the continent. Professor A. Gray, as seen above, has already alluded to
the probable evidence which might hereafter be obtained bearing on the
GENERAL CONCLUSIONS. 55
subject from an acquaintance with the vegetable remains preserved in
abundance in the Pliocene and post-Pliocene deposits of the Mississippi and
the lower Ohio River. An immense amount of material is there buried,
awaiting future investigations. This will prove even more important to
botanists and paleontologists than those plants which I luive had the op-
portunity of describing in this memoir.
56
FOSSIL FLOE A OF THE SIEEEA NEVADA.
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INDEX OF SPECIES DESCRIBED.
Page
Acer Eequidentatum 26
Bolanderi 27
Aralia angustiloba 22
Whitneyi 20
Zaddachi? 21
Bctula tequalis 2
Cercocarpus antiquus 37
Cornus Kelloggii 23
ovalis 23
Fagus Antipofi 3
pseudo-ferruginea 3
Fieus microphylla 18
sordida 17
tiliaefolia 18
Ilex prunifolia 27
Juglans Californica " 34
Oregoniana 35
laurinea 35
Liquidambar Californicum 14
Magnolia Californica 25
lanceolata 24
Platamis appendiculata 12
dissecta 13
Populus Zaddacbi 11
Persea pseudo-Carolineusis 19
Page
Quercus Boweniana 6
chrysophylloides 9
convexa 4
distincta 6
eleenoides 4
Goepperti 7
Nevadensis 5
pseudo-lyrata 8
Vovana 8
Rhus Boweniana 29
dispersa 32
metopioides 31
mixta 30
myricaefolia 31
typbinoides 29
Sabalites Califomicus 1
Salix Californica 10
ellipt ica 10
Ulmns adinis 16
Californica 15
pseudo-fulva 16
Zantboxylon diversifolium 33
Zizypbus micropliyllus 28
piperoides 28
APPEXDIX.
DESCRIPTION OF FOSSIL LEAVES FROM THE TUNNEL OF THE NORTH FORK
COMPANY, NEAR FOREST CITY.*
Quercus transgressus, sp. nov.
Leaf coriaceous, short-pet ioled, oblong-ovate, tapering to a short acumen, rounded at base to a
short petiole; borders entire, recurved ; lateral nerves open, parallel, numerous, 12-14,
interlinked by distinct transverse nervilles.
This leaf, five centimeters long, represents a species closely allied to
Quercus chrysolepis, D. C, of California. From the statements of authors,
this oak is abundantly distributed from the plains to the mountains. Among
my specimens there is, sent by Dr. Kellogg from the Sierra Nevada, a
branch bearing coriaceous, entire leaves, with the same characters as the
fossil one. Considering merely this specimen, I should be authorized to
refer the fossil leaf to this species ; but the normal form has leaves more
or less dentate. If this characteristic should be, after further discoveries,
recognized upon other fossil leaves of the same formation, the identity of
the Pliocene oak with Q. chrysolepis should be clearly established.
Quercus Steenstrupiana? Hef.r, Arct. Fl. I. p. 109. Pi. xi. Fig. 0 ; XLVI. Figs. 8, 9.
Lea f small ', four to five centimeters long (the upper part is broken), ovate-lanceolate, rounded
in narrowing to the unequal base, obscurely dentate <>n tin- borders : lateral nerves close,
parallel, entering the teeth, which in this specimen are scarcely distinct, I In' borders being
mostly destroyed.
* The specimens here described were collected liy Professor Pcttee, in 1879, in a tunnel near the Bald Moun-
tain tunnel on the North Fork of Oregon Creek (see Plate Q), about 4,500 feet above the sea-level, and twenty
miles north of Chalk Bluffs. Localities in the hydraulic mining region where the leaves are sufficiently well-
pre i ved for identification arc not common ; and. in view of the fact that as much light as possible is desired in
I to the inline and range of the Pliocene vegetation, it was considered best that these specimens should be
red to Mr. Le q a for examination, and the results published i an appendix to his previous communi-
cation on ih,' Mil,,,-, t of the fossil plants of the aurifi rous gravels. - ■' • D. W.
60 APPENDIX.
Of course no satisfactory comparison can be made from such an incomplete
fragment. Heer describes the leaves of his species as doubly, sharply den-
tate, the intermediate teeth being entered by branches of the lateral veins.
In the specimen from California the veins branch in the upper part and tend
to the borders, as in the leaves represented by Heer from Greenland speci-
mens, and this direction indicates a duplicate denticulation of the borders.
This, however, is not positive evidence. Heer compares his species to the
living Quercus cuspidata, Thnb. of Japan.
Quercus pseudo-chrysophylla, sp. now ?
Leaf coriaceous, twelve centimeters long, oblong or ovate-lanceolate, rounded of base to a short
thick petiole, gradually narrowed from the middle upwards, or tapering to n short acumen ;
borders distantly obscurely dentate ; lateral nerves very oblique, curved in passing up, and
tending toward the teeth, thick, abruptly forking in two branches of diminutive size just
near the. borders, one of the divisions entering a tooth, the other passing under it ami
joining tertiary branches in the middle of lot, rot areas.
The leaf is finely preserved. Comparing it to some of the numerous
varieties of Quercus chrysophylla, Ilumb. and Bonpl., it is scarcely possible
to doubt its specific identity. It has the same shape, the same size, the same
consistence, and the same nervation. The lateral nerves are slightly more
oblique, the angle of divergence being 80°. But in the numerous specimens
of Q. chrysophylla which I have for comparison, the leaves vary in length
from four to twelve centimeters, and the angle of divergence of the lateral
nerves is between 40° and 80°. The essential character of the nervation,
the forking of the lateral nerves near the borders, distinct only in one species
of the Miocene, Quercus furcinervis, is still more marked in the Pliocene leaf
of California, as it is also in those of the living Q. chrysophylla.
Habitat. — This species now inhabits the Sierra Nevada, from Oregon to
Monterey, to an altitude of 6,000 feet.
One of the specimens, No. 43, represents a fragment of a large leaf,
apparently of Ficus tiliafolia, described on p. IS (PI. IV. Figs. 8, 9).
Acer arctiCUm, Heer, Arct. Fl. IV. p. 80. PI. XXII. Figs. 4, 7; PI. XXIII. Figs. 4, !i.
Leaf of medium size, six unit n half centimeters long and as broad in tin middle, triangular
in outline, truncate cordate of tin- base, obscurely palmately five-nerved and five-lobed,
coarsely sinuate-dentate on the //orders.
As in some of the leaves (in Heer, 1. c.) to which this is comparable, the
palmate division of the lower lateral nerves is not very definite, the inferior
APPENDIX. 01
pair being thinner and more like marginal veins than like primary nerves.
For this reason the lobes are not distinct, or scarcely more prominent than
the obtuse large teeth of the borders. By this character this leaf corresponds
partly to the first of the subdivisions established by Heer in this description,
leaves as broad as long, short-lobed, broadly obtusely dentate, and partly to
the fourth division, wherein he includes truncate or sub-truncate leaves.
The identification of this finely preserved leaf is positive.
The relation of this species is with the present North American Acer
spicatum, the mountain Maple, whose range in the Northern States is from
the Atlantic to the Mississippi.
Acer, species.
The specimen shows only the middle part of a leaf. It is trilobed, the
lobes separated hij deep narrow obtuse sinuses; coarsely sinuate dentate on
the borders. As far as the characters are recognizable, the fragment repre-
sents a leaf equally referable to Acer macrophyllum, Pursh, and to Acer
grandidentatum, Nutt. It is intermediate in size, but comes nearer the last
of these species, especially similar to a large form of A. grandidentatum,
which 1 collected in the Ogden Canon of Utah.
It is to be regretted that the fragment is not in a better state of preserva-
tion, and that it cannot be ascertained if this leaf of the Pliocene does not
positively represent a species intermediate between A. macrophyllum and A.
grandidentatum, or an older type, modified by peculiar circumstances forcing-
it to migrations, partly to the mountains where it became dwarfed, partly to
the south wherefrom it returned later and during the present period with
an amplitude of foliage resulting from a habitat in a warmer climate.
Another specimen, No. 50, represents a large leaf, apparently referable to
Magnolia lanceolate/, p. 24, PI. VI. Fig. 4.
The borders are erased, the nervation is obscure, the determination is not
certain.
J ii .-i l"i of specimens, sent for examination by Professor William Denton, 1 found a few fragments of
leaves from the Chalk Bin lis, iii Nevada County. They represenl Quercus convexa, Lesqx., Aralia Zaddachi,
II eei, species already published from the same locality, ami an Acer, new for this flora. It is .1. sextianum,
Sap., a species found in France by the author, in the Gypses of Aix. then fore an eld type, at Ieasl Miocene
if not ohler.* The leaf i- three palmately nerved and palmate-trilobate; the medial lobe longer, and
sparingly dentate or minute-lobed ; but the lower part of the leaf is entire. In all its characters it seems
* Saportti considers tin' formation as continuous from the upper Cretaceous to 1 1 j - lower Miocene. It has. how-
ever, a number of species identified in the Green River Group of the Rocky Mountains.
02 APPENDIX.
like a counterpart of the fragment Bgured by the French author, who refers it to a group of Maples, which
includes among others A. coccineum, Michx.
The conclusions to be derived from the determination of these few fossil species fully coincide with what
has been exposed by the table indicating the relation of the plants described in the report on the flora of
the auriferous gravel deposits. The group is Miocene by one species of Acer and one of Quercus, while
it bus of each of these genera one species living at the present epoch. It has also an Acer positively
identified with a species of the Gypses of Aix. Its relation therefore to the Miocene flora is more dis-
tinctly marked than to the flora of the present period. It lias two Atlantic types, not present now in the
Pacific slope, and two exclusively Califomian ones, represented now by one species of wide distribution,
Quercus chrysohpis, and by another probably modified by local influence, an Acer, intermediate between
Acer macrophyllum and A. grandidentatum.
The relation to the Pliocene of Europe rests as it was formerly indicated, on the analogy, not identity
of one species only.
MjEM'D'IXS vUIL.~yi.
iuacuut iciif €&n sr
(Auriferous Gravel Depo:
/. — Sabatites Californicus.
2—4. — Betula aqualis.
5—7. — Rhus m vriecefolia.
8. — Fruit and involucre,
ip-j 2. — Quercus elanoides.
anitiuc r, u it Uui, u ,
ottln' Sierra Nevada J
I'K I
13-17. — Qvcrcus convexa.
18-21.— Sa/ix Californiea.
22. — Sa/ix elliptica.
23. — Rhtn dispei ■
MJEMOIURS TIQIL.-VT,
MmmxnM QI.cr.mi
( Auriferous Gravel Deposi
A' P
/, 2. — Quercus pseudo-lyrata.
J, 4. — Quercus Nevadensis.
5,6. — Quercus Bowcniana.
7, <?. — Quercus distincta.
10. — Castaneopsis chrysophylloides.
f the Sierra Nevada.)
//. — Quercus Goepperti.
12. — Quercus Voyana.
rj. — Fagus Antipofi.
14. — Fagus pscudo-femi
m v.yio 1 1'.> v[j i.. \ i
Uuuuim erf dm
( Auriferous Gravel Depos
i-6.— Plan >i
uniturc Zawii«ij|).
5 of the Sierra. Nevada.)
PIiATK \i
Sinclair iSui..li&-P>Jla.
f appendiculata.
;VI I'.Ml) I i;1-! v,D l. . v [ .
tetnttau of Cc |
(Auriferous GTave 1 De
y, p. — Ulmus Calif omica.
j . — Ulmus pseudo-fit Iva .
4, j — Ulmus affinis.
Mt EmnJlssiHTDi.
ltsolihe Sierra NevadaJ
I'luYTK ->
6, j. — Fiats sordida.
8, g. — Fiats tilicefolia.
to, ii. — Fiats microphylla.
MIEM'DUIRS '"OTT./VII
tetltll ss'f <<£a\ui
(Auriferous Grave) Deposit
Al.Ricldey del
/. — Aralia UTiifncyi.
2, j. — Aralia Zaddachi ?
:ai:uic Eonli
Hie Sierra Nevada.)
PLATE 5.
4,5. — Aralia angustiioba.
'^iiASan Lih.Rala.
ii • i o I ! :."-> vox* vi .,
(Auriferous Gravel Depos
•.
r,2
3
4
5,7
6
-Cornus ovalis.
-Cornus Kclloggii.
-Magnolia lanceolata.
-Magnolia Calif ornica.
-Magnolia fruit.
>1 'the Sierra Nevada.)
TB i.
J a. — Ulmus Californica.
fb. — Platanus appendiculata.
jc. — Liquidambar Calif ornicum.
Ml M I M I ;' , S I * I,. S I
#teicnit;in ciiE €m ®
( Auriferous Gravel Dep<
A
/, 2. — Persea Pseudo-Caroliniensis.
j, 6. — Liquidambar Calif orni mm.
tannine ;an lui^u
- of the Sierra Nevada .)
i' i. v .[■.!■: i.
4, 5. — Acer Vitifolium.
J- It. — A^er BolanJeri.
12. — Platanui Dissecta.
MiEMtDir.RS ~ywL,~yiz.
tewtm M Cssntt
(Auriferous Gravel Dep0!
.
1-8. — Populus Zaddachi.
g. — Zizyphus ■ microphy litis.
10, II. — Zizyphus pnperoidts.
Dfthe SierrsNevudaJ
ELATK 8
12, ij. — Rhus metopioides.
14, 15. — Zanthoxylon diversifolium.
m i .md'i as viji,,\i ,
lllusicmvi nf €«i! si'
( AllI'llClDll^ (ilclVf'.l I)C(JO
I
/-(5. — Rhus typhinoides.
7. — Ilex frunifolia.
8, g. — Rhus Boweniana.
to. — -fuglans Oregotdana.
•arattiK- Enajfsluii'
ofthe Sierra Sevnfl.i >
\'K n
ii.—Juglans laurinea.
12. — Juglans egregia.
ij. — Rhus mixta.
14. -Juglans Californica.
v| HMD! Kii "VIDX.TX
Ittsnim &f €aitst 8-
(Auriferous Gravel Depo
i.—Juglans egi-egia.
2,j.—Juglans Calif ornica.
of the Sierra Nevada.)
'KUTTK JO
4, j, — Platanus dissecta.
6-u. — Cercocarpus antiquus,
■ iU
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