Geological Survey Bulletin 204 Fossil Flora of the John Day Basin, Oregon

Family MYRICACEÆ.

MYRICA OREGONIANA n. sp.

Pl. III, fig. 4.

Leaf coriaceous, ovate-lanceolate, very unequal-sided at base, acuminate at apex; margin coarsely toothed, the teeth upward pointing, rather obtuse; petiole short, very strong; midrib strong, perfectly straight; secondaries, some 10 or 12 pairs, thin, arising at an angle of about 45°, straight, ending in the teeth; finer nervation obscure.

The very perfect example figured, with its counterpart, is all thus far detected of this form. It is rather broadly ovate-lanceolate in shape, cordate on one side at base and very oblique on the other side. The apex is acuminate. The length is 3.5 cm. exclusive of the petiole, which is 3 mm. long, and the width is 1.4 cm. The margin is very coarsely toothed.

This species is nearest to Myrica callicomœfolia Lesq. a found abundantly at Elko station, Nevada, and Florissant, Colorado. It differs, however, in being relatively much shorter and broader, and in having much larger teeth, which are obtuse rather than flat and acute. The petiole is also relatively shorter and thicker.

Locality.—White hill, one-half mile east of original Van Horn's ranch locality. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 8532).

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a Cret. and Tert. Fl., p. 146, Pl. XXVI, figs. 5-14.

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MYRICA? PERSONATA n. sp.

Pl. III, fig. 2.

MYRICA n. sp., Knowlton in Merriam, Univ. Cal., Bull. Dept. Geol., Vol. II, No. 9, p. 290, 1901.

Leaf membranaceous, narrowly lanceolate in shape, wedge-shaped at base and apparently acuminate at apex; margin coarsely and sharply serrate; midrib very thick, straight; secondaries numerous, about 16 or 18 pairs, alternate, emerging at a low to nearly an angle of 45° in the upper portion of the blade, somewhat curving upward and ending in the teeth, occasionally forking before passing to the teeth; nervilles strong, percurrent, at right angles to the secondaries; finer nervation producing rectangular areas.

The example figured unfortunately lacks portions of both base and apex. but it is the only fragment thus far obtained. It was apparently about 8 or 9 cm. long and is exactly 2 cm. wide. It appears wholly unlike anything previously described from this area.

Locality.—One-half mile northeast of Fossil, Gilliam County, Oregon. Collected by Merriam's party of 1900 (type No. 924 in Mus. Univ. Cal.).