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

Family SALICACEÆ.

POPULUS LINDGRENI Knowlton.

Pl. II, fig. 1.

POPULUS LINDGRENI Knowlton, Eighteenth Ann, Rept. U. S. Geol. Surv. Pt. III, p. 725, Pl. C, fig. 3, 1898.

The collections from near Van Horn's ranch, made during the season of 1901 by Dr. Merriam and myself, contain a single very perfectly preserved leaf that must be referred to this species. It differs slightly from the type in being more nearly circular in shape, but in matter of size, marginal teeth, and nervation the two specimens are identical.

Locality.—White hill one-half mile east of original Van Horn's ranch locality, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 8512). Type specimen from 2 miles southeast of Marsh post-office, Boise County, Idaho (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 8292).

SALIX SCHIMPERI Lesq.

SALIX SCHIMPERI Lesq., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 21, Pl. XIII, fig. 5, 1888.

Locality.—Cherry Creek, Crook County, Oregon. Collected by Maj. Charles E. Bendire (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 2595).

SALIX ENGELHARDTI Lesq.

SALIX ENGELHARDTI Lesq., Proc. U. S. Nat, Mus., Vol. XI, p. 17, Pl. VIII, fig. 2, 1888.

Cassia phaseolites? Ung. Lesquereux, idem., p. 16.

It seems doubtful if this is correctly referred to Salix, but as no new material except a specimen to be mentioned below has come to light, it may be best to retain it as left by its author.

It was observed that the single example referred by Lesquereux to Cassia phaseolites ? Ung. had a serrate margin, which would exclude it from this genus, and a further comparison convinces me that it is another leaf of Salix Engelhardti. It is a small leaf, not quite so broad relatively in the upper part, but it has a base of the same shape, the same serrate margin, and the same nervation as this species, and is therefore referred to it. It becomes then the second known specimen of S. Engelhardti.

Locality.—Van Horn's ranch, South Fork of John Day River, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Maj. Charles E. Bendire (U. S. Nat. Mus., Nos. 2455, 2589.)

SALIX RÆANA ? Heer.

SALIX RÆANA? Heer. Lesquereux, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 17, 1888.

It is extremely doubtful if this is correctly identified, as the specimen upon which it is based is very poor, but as no other example has been found it may remain as above. Little weight should be attached to it, however.

Locality.—Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Maj. Charles E. Bendire (U. S. Nat. Mus., No, 2594).

SALIX VARIANS Göppert.

SALIX VARIANS Göppert. Lesquereux, Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 17, 1888.

I regard this identification as more or less doubtful. It is smaller than the usual form of this species, although similar in size and appearance to a leaf so determined by Heer a from Alaska. It is the only example found.

Locality.—Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Maj. Charles E. Bendire (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 2596).

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a Fl. Foss. Alaska, p. 27, Pl. II, fig. 8, 1869.

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SALIX ANGUSTA Al. Br.

SALIX ANGUSTA Al. Br. Lesquereux, Cret. and Tert. Fl., p. 247, Pl. LV, fig. 6,1883.

These are two narrow leaves that agree closely with the smaller figures given by Lesquereux as above quoted. The locality is stated to be "Oldfield claim, Oregon," but I have been unable to further identify the place. The type specimen is preserved in the paleontological collection of the University of California (No. 1963), and the leaves under consideration appear to be the same as the leaves from this unknown locality in Oregon. It does not follow, however, that they should be regarded as identical with all leaves that have been referred to this species from other localities.

Locality.—Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Merriam's expedition of 1900 (Mus. Univ. Cal., Nos. 85, 87.)

SALIX AMYGDALÆFOLIA Lesq.

SALIX AMYGDALÆFOLIA Lesq., Cret. and Tert. Fl., p. 156, Pl. XXXI, figs. 1, 2, 1883. Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 17, 1888.

Locality.—Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Maj. Charles E. Bendire (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 2587).

SALIX PSEUDO-ARGENTEA n. sp.

Pl. II, figs. 2—4.

Sapindus angustifolius Lesq., Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 15, 1888.

Leaves of firm texture, lanceolate or narrowly ovate-lanceolate in shape, narrowed about equally to both base and apex; margin perfectly entire; petiole short, rather slender; midrib rather strong; secondaries numerous, some 12 or 15 pairs, at an acute angle, thin and nearly concealed in the substance of the leaf, camptodrome; finer nervation not preserved.

I refer a large number of specimens to this form, among them one that was identified by Lesquereux as Sapindus angustifolius. They are mainly small, narrow leaves from 4 to 6 cm. in length and from 1 to 1.5 cm. in width. The petiole is 5 mm. long, and, as stated above, slender for the size of the leaf. This form has a close resemblance to the living Salix argentea.

Locality.—Mascall beds, Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., Nos. 8527, 8528, 8529).

SALIX DAYANA n. sp.

Pl. II, figs. 9, 10.

Leaves of firm texture, ovate-lanceolate or elliptical-lanceolate, truncate or slightly heart-shaped at base, acuminate at apex; margin perfectly entire; petiole very short, stout; midrib thick; secondaries, 10 or 12 pairs, at an angle of about 40°, thin and obscure, camptodrome, arching and joining well inside the margin; finer nervation not retained.

I refer three examples to this form, two of which are here figured. The smaller is 4.5 cm. long and 1.5 cm. wide, the larger 5.5 cm. long and nearly 2 cm. wide. The petiole is about 2 mm. long.

Locality.—Mascall beds, Van Horn's ranch, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., Nos. 8530, 8531).

SALIX PERPLEXA n. sp.

Pl. II, figs. 5—8.

Leaves of firm texture, obovate-lanceolate to elliptical-lanceolate in shape, narrowed, often abruptly, to the petiole, rather obtuse at apex; margin entire; petiole short; midrib strong below, becoming very thin above; secondaries numerous, 12 or 15 pairs, alternate, at a low angle, parallel, effaced near the margin, but apparently camptodrome; finer nervation obscure, but apparently producing very fine areolae.

This form is represented by a dozen or more examples, among which there is a considerable range in size. The smallest leaves are only 2.25 cm. in length and 13 mm. in width, while the larger are nearly 5 cm. in length and 1.75 cm. in width, The average size is about 3.5 cm. in length and 1.75 cm. in width. The petiole is 5 or 6 mm, long.

This species is certainly similar in general appearance to certain forms of Salix Bebbiana, a species now widely distributed throughout the Rocky Mountain area.

Locality.—Mascall beds, Van Horn's ranch and vicinity, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., Nos. 8521, 8522, 8523, 8524).

SALIX MIXTA n. sp.

Pl. II, figs. 11, 12.

Leaves coriaceous in texture, ovate-lanceolate or ovate-elliptical in shape, slightly unequal-sided, subcordate or abruptly rounded at base; margin finely and evenly serrate; midrib thick; secondaries numerous, rather close, parallel, emerging at a low, almost right, angle, curving upward near the margin, strongly camptodrome, or occasionally with a secondary passing to the margin; when camptodrome arching well inside the margin with fine nervilles passing to the teeth; nervilles numerous, mainly broken, at an oblique angle; finer nervation forming a very regular fine mesh.

This form is represented by about a dozen examples, many of which are quite perfect. The longest appear to have been about 8 cm. in length and the smallest about 4 cm. The width is about 2 cm, The petiole is not preserved in any case. The margin is uniformly serrate, The secondaries are numerous, emerging nearly at a right angle on one side of the leaf and an angle of 20° or 30° on the other, all passing in the upper portion to an angle of about 45°, They are mainly camptodrome, but occasionally one passes directly to the margin.

These leaves undoubtedly belong to Salix and are so close to certain described forms that it is difficult to determine whether or not they should be regarded as new.

Locality.—Mascall beds, Van Horn's ranch and vicinity, about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by Knowlton and Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat, Mus., Nos. 8525, 8526).

SALIX sp. ? Knowlton,

Pl. III, fig. 1.

SALIX sp., Knowlton in Merriam, Univ. Cal., Bull. Dept. Geol., Vol. II, No. 9, p. 303. 1901.

A fragment that appears to belong to Salix. It is not sufficient to settle its identity.

Locality.—Three and one-half miles south of Lone Rock. Collected by Merriam's expedition of 1900 (Mus. Univ. Cal., No. 1343).