4. FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 

By F. H. KNOWLTON. 

HISTORICAL SUMMARY. 

San Juan County, in the extreme northwest 

corner of New Mexico, comprises but a small 

portion of the larger more or less clearly defined 

structural area known as the San Juan Basin. 

Certain structural elements, particularly the 

upper series of coal-bearing rocks, form a more 

or less continuous rim around this basin and 

dip toward the center, where, however,. they 

are deeply buried. 

As the object of the present study is to ascertain the bearing of the fossil plants on the 

age of this series of coal-bearing and related 

rocks, it is desirable to give first a brief historical setting for the geologic facts here set forth. 

It is not necessary in this connection, however, 

to go further back than the beginning of the 

time embraced within the history of the socalled "Laramie problem" -that is, to about 

1875. 

The San Juan district was stuciied by W. H. 

Holmes/ of the Hayden Survey, during the 

field season of 1875. The result~ of his studies 

of the rocks in the valley of San Juan River are 

displayed in a generalized section in Plate 

XXXV of his report. The uppermost member 

of this section is referred to the Wasatch and is 

divided into two parts, the lower of which is the 

Puerco marls of Cope, now included in the 

Puerco and Torrejon formations. Immediately 

below the Puerco marls is the so-called "Upper 

coal group," made up of 800 feet of soft sandstones and marls, which is called Laramie~. 

This in turn rests on massive sandstone 120 feet 

thick, called the Pictured Cliffs group, and on 

the evidence of invertebrates was referred to 

the Fox Hills unit. 

Except for the preparation of a number of 

economic reports on the · coal of this region, 

little systematic geologic work was done in the 

region until 1899, when Cross 2 established the 

1 Holmes, W. H., Geological report on the San Juan district: U. s. Geol. and Geog. Survey Terr. Ninth Ann. Rept., for 1875, p. 241, 1877. 

2 Cross, Whitman, U.S. Geol. Survey Geol. Atlas, La Plat~ folio (No. 

60), 1899. 

units of the Upper Cretaceous section, which 

subsequently have been so widely identified in 

Colorado, Wyoming, and Montana. These 

units, in ascending order, are the Mancos shale, 

Mesaverde formation, and Lewis shale. Concerning the Lewis shale Cross wrote as follows: 

Above the Mesaverde formation occurs another formation 

of clay shale, reaching an observed thickness of nearly 

2,000 feet, which is very much like the Mancos shale but 

contains fewer fossils. The only identifiable form thus far 

found in this shale occurs also in the Mancos shale so that 

this division is still apparently below true Fox Hill~. This 

formation is called the Lewis shale. 

Continuing, Cross says: 

Still above the Lewis shale is a second series of sandstones, shales, and clays, bearing some resemblance to the 

Mesaverde formation but differing in detail. The lowest 

member of this complex is the ''Pictured Oliff sandstone '' 

of Holmes's San Juan section, which he placed in the Fox 

Hills upon the evidence of invertebrate remains. The 

remainder was referred to the Laramie, but without fossil 

evidence. The present survey has failed to bring to light 

valid ground for.assigning any of the beds in question to 

tht~ Laramie, while there is some reason to believe that 

more than the lower sandstone belongs to the Montana 

group. 

In 1905 Schrader 3 made a reconnaissance 

examination of the Durango-Gallup coal field 

in which he adopted the stratigraphic classifi· 

cation established by Cross and described the 

uppermost coal-bearing sandstone as Laramie~' 

though he presented no fossil evidence. 

In 1906 more detailed examinations were 

made in the region by Taff and Shaler. Taff 4 

studied the Durango coal district, which lies 

just off the southern foothills of the San Juan 

and La Plata mountains, and in his report the 

upper coal-bearing rocks here under consideration were referred without question to the Laramie, though he gave no details as to the reason 

for this reference. Shaler's report 5 deals with 

that part of the Durango-Gallup field lying 

s Schrader, F. C., The Durango-Gallup coal field of Colorado and New 

Mexico: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 285, pp. 241-258, 1906. 

• Taff, J. A., The Durango coal district, Colo.: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 

316, pp. 321-337, 1907. 

:. Shaler, M. K . , A reconnaissance survey of the western part of th€1 

Durango-Gallup coal field of Colorado: Idem, pp. 376-426. 

327 
328 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

west of longitude 107° 30'. The beds here discussed were also referred by Shaler to the Laramie without qualification, on the basis, it is 

stated, of fossils studied by T. W. Stanton and 

F. H. Knowlton, though the evidence is not 

presented in detail. On looking over the original reports on the plants collected by Shaler and 

others in this region, I find that they were few 

and fragmentary collections only, and the tendency was to regard them as mainly older than· 

· Laramie. 

The status of the "Laramie" in the region 

under consideration was so well summed up 

by Lee 1 in 1912 that his statement is quoted 

entire as follows: 

The ''Laramie" formation occurs within the area 

described in this paper only in the San Juan Basin. It 

is more than 1,000 feet thick in the southern rim of the 

basin but is thinner in the eastern rim, probably due to 

post-Cretaceous erosion. At Dulce it is only 225 feet 

thick. The formation lies conformably on Lewis shale 

and probably for this reason more than any other has been 

called Laramie, although Dr. Cross several years ago called 

attention to the fact that investigation had ''failed to bring 

to light valid ground for assigning any of the beds in question to the Laramie, while there is some reason to believe 

that more than the lower sandstone belongs to the Montana group." Since that time a considerable number of 

fossils, both of invertebrates and of plants, have been 

collected from these beds in the Durango region. The 

base of the formation-the Pictured Cliff sandstone-contains marine invertebrates, and the lower part of the 

coal-bearing rocks above this sandstone contains brackishwater invertebrates, several of which occur in the Mesaverde of other fields. But higher in the formation the 

rocks contain fresh-water invertebrates which Dr. Stanton 

regards as Laramie and fossil plants which Dr. Knowlton 

regards as older than Laramie. The fossil plants have 

been given in the table * * * and from this table 

as well as from the accompanying statement by Dr. Knowlton [see below] it will be seen that the flora differs but 

little from that of the Mesaverde farther to the south. 

The name ''Laramie " is here used for this formation not 

because the writer wishes to argue for the Laramie age 

of the rocks, but because the name is in use and because 

in this paper the writer is intentionally avoiding the 

introduction of new names for rock formations. It must 

be noted, however, that while the formation is called 

''Laramie" it contains a flora which denotes Montana age, 

having nothing in common with the Laramie flora of the 

Denver Basin. 

The statement by me to which Lee alludes 

is as follows: 

Near Dulce, N. Mex., and near Durango, Colo., there 

have been obtained two collections of plants from above 

the Lewis shale in coal-bearing rocks that have been 

referred to the so-called ''Laramie" of this region. These 

collections are very full and embrace a number of easily 

r Lee, W. T., Stratigraphy of the coal fields of northern New Mexico: 

Geol. Soc. America Bull., vol. 23, pp. 607-oos, 1912. 

recognized species; hence their identification is satisfactory and complete. ·These collections prove clearly 

that these beds do not belong to the Laramie, since, so 

far as known to the writer, not a single species there present 

has been found in beds of this age. On the other hand, the 

plants indicate beyond question that they belong to the 

Montana, there beinK, for instance, Ficus speciosissima, 

Ficus sp. (narrow, three-nerved type), Ficus sp., type of 

F. lanceolata, a palm, etc., which link them with the 

Mesaverde · floras to the south and the beds already discussed in the Raton Mesa region. Associated with these, 

however, and tending to give them a slightly higher position, though still within the Montana, are such forD;ls as 

Brachyophyllum, Cunninghamites, Geinitzia, Sequoia, 

etc., all of which are beyond doubt Montana types not 

found in the Laramie. 

A number of collections were made by J. H. Gardner 

in the Ignacio quadrangle, east of Durango, Colo., from. 

beds regarded as the Laramie of that area. The plants 

in these collections, almost species by species, are identical with the forms from near Dulce and near Durango, 

and I have no hesitation in saying that they occupy the 

same stratigraphic position and are of the same age viz 

Montana. ' · ' 

It now remains to consider certain dinosaurbearing beds first reported near Oj o Alamo, 

N. Mex., which may have a bearing on the 

"Laramie" of the San Juan Basin region. 

In 1908 James H. Gardner, then of the United 

States Geological Survey, found reptilian 

vertebrate remains near the head of Coal 

Creek, 1 mile southeast of Ojo Alamo, "in 

variegated sands, shales, and conglomerates, 

indisputably above the unconformity at the 

top of the Laramie.2 These remains were 

studied by C. W. Gilmore, who states that this 

fauna "appears to represent a typical fauna 

of the so-called Laramie or better Ceratops . 

beds." 

It appears that dinosaur remains had been 

known attheOjoAlamolocalityas early as 1902, 

but it was not until 1904 that a systematic 

attempt was made to collect them. In this 

year Barnum Brown, of the American Museum 

of Natural History, made a reconnaissance 

trip to the locality and obtained "a small 

but interesting collection of fossils." These, 

however, were not described in print until 

1910.3 Concerning the stratigraphic relations 

of these beds Brown says: 

Less than a mile south of the store at Ojo Alamo the 

Puerco formation rests unconformably on a conglomerate 

2 Gardner, J. H., in Knowlton, F. H., The stratigraphic relations and 

paleontology of the "Hell Creek beds," ' "Ceratops beds," and equivalents, and their reference to the Fort Union formation: Washington 

Acad. Sci. Proc., vol. 11, p. 323, 1909. 

a Brown, Barnum, The Cretaceous Ojo Alamo beds of New Mexico, 

with description of the dinosaur genus Kritosaurus: Am. Mus. Nat. 

Hist. Bull., vol. 28, pp. 267-274, .1910. 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 329 

that is composed of red, gray, yellow, and white pebbles Above the Kirtland shale, without observed 

The position of these beds is below what may be called 

the type of the Puerco or basal Eocene. * * * Below stratigraphic break, is the Ojo Alamo sandstone, 

the conglomerate there is a series of shales and sandstones which Bauer thinks should be grouped with the 

' evenly stratified and usually horizontal, in which there underlying Kirtland and Fruitland formations 

is much less cross-bedding than commonly occurs in the A graphic presentation of the older and 

Laramie of the northern United States. newer views is given below: 

The shales below the conglomerates that contain numerous dinosaur and turtle remains I shall designate as the 

Ojo Alamo beds. They are estimated to be about 200 Olderinterpretation. 

feet thick, but owing to lack of time I was unable to deterNewer interpretation. 

mine their relations to the underlying formations. 

Also in 1910 appeared a paper by Gardner 1 

that involved incidentally the beds under discussion. He records the Puerco as resting 

unconformably on the underlying beds, as 

Brown had reported, and he states that at 

Ojo Alamo he "obtained dinosaurs from beds 

unconformably above the 'Laramie' and below 

the Wasatch." These beds are, of course; the 

Ojo Alamo beds of Brown. 

From the preceding brief statements it 

appears that for more than 40 years the upper 

coal-bearing rocks of the San Juan Basin have 

been regarded more or less definitely as of 

Laramie age, though during quite half of this 

time there has been growing an undercurrent of 

opinion that the beds may be older than the 

Laramie. The object of the present study is 

to ascertain the bearing of the fossil plants on 

this question, and it may be stated here that 

the plants appear fully to sustain the opinion 

that the beds are older than the Laramie. 

The fossil plants upon which the present 

report is based were obtained by C. M. Bauer 

during his geologic studies of the season of 

1915 in that portion of the San Juan Basin 

embraced within San Juan County, N. Mex. 

The stratigraphic results of his investigations 

are set forth at length in the paper by Bauer,Z 

and in the present connection it is necessary 

only to give them in brief outline. In that 

portion of the coal-bearing and associated 

rocks previously referred to as the "Laramie' ' 

of that region Bauer has recognized two lithologic units. The lower of these units, called 

the Fruitland formation, is about 300 feet thick 

and includes the coal-bearing beds. Above it 

is a series of shales, called the Kirtland shale . . ' with an Intercalated sandstone, the Farmington 

sandstone member, and the whole formation 

has a maximum thickness of nearly 1,200 feet. 

1 Gardner, J. H., The Puerco and Torrejon formations of the Nacimiento group: Jour. Geology, vol. 18, pp. 702-741, 1910. 

· 2 U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. P aper 98, pp. 274-275 (Prof. Paper 98-P). 

Ojo Alamo. 

Unconformity--· 

"Laramie." 

Pictured Cliffs. 

Ojo Alamo sandstone. 

Conformity-.--------"""? 

. / ]< ~ Farmington sand-

~ stone member. 

Fruitland formation. 

~ 

Pictured Cliffs sandstone. 

THE FLORA. 

The material on which the present report is 

based comprises 20 collections, of which 15 are 

from the Fruitland formation, 3 from the 

Kirtland shale (2 from the extreme top and 1 

from the base of the formation), and only 1 

from the Ojo Alamo sandstone. The bulk of 

the material comes from the lower or coalbearing portion of the section, and much of 

this is preserved on a red baked shale, indicating proximity to coal. 

The rna terial in the single collection from the 

Ojo Alamo beds is so fragmentary that it can 

not be identified witn satisfaction. It includes 

portions of a large leaf of unknown affinity, a 

small willow-like leaf, and a large leaf that 

appears to be an Aralia of the type of Aralia 

notata Lesquereux, a species very abundant 

and widely distributed in the Fort Union formation. Nothing like this has been noted in 

the underlying beds, and to a certain extent 

it argues for the Tertiary age of the Ojo Alamo 

beds, though obviously the evidence is not 

strong. For the present, therefore, the dictum 

based on the evidence of the fossil vertebrates 

that these beds can not be separated from the 
330 SHORTER CON TRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

underlying beds must be accepted, though the 

writer can not escape the impression that they 

;may ultimately be shown to be of Tertiary age. 

Below is a complete list of the forms represented in the collections from the Fruitland 

and Kirtland formations. 

Asplenium neomexicanum Knowlton, n . sp. 

Onoclea neomexicana Knowlton, n . sp. 

Anemia hesperia Knowlton, n. sp. 

Anemia sp. 

Sequoia reichenbachi (Geinitz) Heer. 

Sequoia obovata? Knowlton. 

Geinitzia formosa Heer. 

Sabal montana Knowlton. 

Sabal? sp. 

Myrica torreyi Lesquereux. 

Myrica? neomexicana Knowlton, n . sp. 

Salix baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Salix sp. a Knowlton. 

Quercus baueri Knowlton, n . sp. 

Ficus baueri Knowlton, n . sp. 

Ficus curta? Knowlton. 

Ficus prretrinerv1s Knowlton. 

Ficus leei Knowlton. 

Ficus prrelatifolia Knowlton, n . sp. 

Ficus sp. 

Ficus rhamnoides Knowlton. 

Ficus squarrosa Knowlton. 

Ficus sp. 

Ficus eucalyptifolia? Knowlton. 

Laurus baueri Knowlton, n . sp . 

Laurus coloradensis Knowlton. 

Nelumbo sp. 

Heteranthera cretacea Knowlton, n. sp. 

Pistia corrugata Lesquereux. 

Leguminosites? neomexicana Knowlton, n . sp. 

Pterospermites undulatus Knowlton. 

Pterospermites neomexicanus Knowlton, n. sp. 

Pterospermites sp. 

Ribes neomexicana Knowlton, n . sp. 

Carpites baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Phyllites petiolatus Knowlton, n. sp. 

Phyllites neomexicanus Knowlton, n. sp. 

Unassigned plant (a). 

Unassigried plant (b). 

The above list comprises 40 forms, of which 

6 are so fragmentary that they have not been 

given specific names, 2 have not been assigned, 

even generically, 16 are regarded as new to 

science, leaving 16 species known previously 

in other areas. 

Although new species as such have little 

value in fixing the age of the rocks in which they 

occur, it not infrequently happens that important and far-reaching conclusions may be 

drawn from a consideration of their obviously 

close relation with species whose stratigraphic 

relations -are known. Thus the species described as Asplenium neomexicanum is not to 

be distinguished from the fragment described 

as Asplenium sp. Knowlton, from the Mesa:; 

verde of Dutton Creek, Laramie Plains, Wyo. 

Onoclea neomexicana belongs to a very long · 

lived type, which, it was previously supposed, 

began in the Fort Union and is still living. The 

present form carries the type much further 

back. Anemia hesperia is not closely related 

to any previously described fossil species from 

this country. Myrica? neomexicana is so 

poorly repr~sented that its generic reference 

has been questioned, and hence its relationship 

is obscured. The specimen of Salix baueri is 

also poorly preserved as regards nervation and 

is of little value in fixing its affinity. Quercus 

baueri is most closely related to an unpublished 

species from the Vermejo formation of southern 

Colorado, differing in its slightly smaller size 

and less prominent teeth. Ficus baueri is, in a 

way, of the type of Ficus denveriana, a large 

Denver species, but it differs very markedly in 

nervation ·and is not considered to be closely 

related to that species. Ficus prcelatifolia is 

most nearly related to Ficus planicostata latifolia, a form first made known from Black 

Buttes, Wyo., but later recorded from a number of horizons, including Montana and Laramie. Laurus baueri is of the type of Laurus 

socialis, a Tertiary form, but differs in nervation as well as. in size. Heteranthera cretacea 

belongs to a living type that has not before 

been detected in a fossil state. The single 

rninute leaflet described under the name Leguminosites? neomexicana is so small and obscure 

that its affinity can not be established. Pterospermites neomexicanus is probably most closely 

related to Pterospermites undulata of Point of 

Rocks, Wyo. Ribes neomexicana is without 

known close relations among fossil forms. The 

species of Carpites and Phyllites have been designated by these nondescript names because 

they a:re without recognized affiliations. 

The species common to the Fruitland and 

Kirtland formations and the Laramie formation 

of the Denver Basin are Sequoia reichenbachi, 

Sabal montana, Myrica torreyi, and Ficus prcetrinervis. In working up the flora of the 

Laramie of the Denver Basin of Colorado it 

has been found that this flora embraces approximately 125 species, of which nine are 

known to be common to the Montana. As all 

four of the above-named species are included 

in the nine common to the Laramie and Mon-
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 331 

tana, it follows they can not be used as an argument for the Larami~ age of the Fruitland and 

Kirtland formations, because without collateral data it would be impossible to decide 

their age in the San Juan Basin. As a matter 

of fact, while these four species are known to 

occUl' in the Laramie, their principal distribution is in beds older than Laramie. Thus, 

Sequoia reichenbachi is known to range from the 

upper part of the Jurassic entirely through the 

Cretaceous, being perhaps most abundant, at 

least as regards individuals, in the middle Montana. Sabal montana is the principal species of 

palm in the Montana. Myrica torreyi was described originally from Black Buttes, Wyo., 

but it has since been demonstrated to be most 

abundant and widely distributed in the Montana. Ficus prretrinervis was first found in 

the Vermejo formation of Colorado and New 

Mexico, where at certain localities it is exceedingly abundant. 

The species common to the Fruitland and 

Kirtland formations and the Montana group 

are as follows: 

*Asplenium neomexicanum. 

*tSequoia reichenbachi. 

*tSequoia obovata? 

*tGeinitzis, formosa. 

*tSabal montana. 

*tMyrica torreyi. 

tSalix sp. a. 

t Ficus curta? 

t Ficus prretrinervis. 

t Ficus leei. 

*Ficus rhamnoides. 

mon to both these areas. On the basis of this 

showing the conclusion seems justified, therefore, that the Fruitland and Kirtland fo:ranations are of Montana age. 

Family POL.YPODIA-cl:lE. 

Asplenium neomeXicanum Knowlton, n. sp.. 

Plate LXXXIV; figures 5-9. 

Asplenium sp. Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, 

p. '2o, pL 3, fig. n, 1900. 

Frond at least firm ill texture; outline of 

whole frond not known but apparently simple 

or once forked, base abruptly rounded and 

slightly cordate, apex abruptly narrowed to an 

acuminate point; margin finely toothed, the 

teeth small and apparently spinose; stipe slender, its length not known but at least 6 centimeters;. nervation very distinct, consisting of 

a rather strong midvein and numerous veins at 

an angle of emergence of about 45°, usually 

forking at or very near the base and occasionally once above, the veins or nearly all of them 

entering the teeth; sori long, narrowly linear, 

attached to the upper side of the veins. 

This very interesting species is represented 

by about a dozen fragments, five of which are 

here figured. Although none is of sufficient 

completeness to show the outline of the whole 

frond, they include parts that give what seems 

to be a fairly complete knowledge of-its appearance. Two examples (figs. 8 and 9) show the 

configuration of the base and a portion of the 

slender stipe, and two (figs. 5 and 6) show the 

apical portion, figure 5 being particularly com- *Ficus squarrosa. 

tFicus eucalyptifolia? plete to the tip. It appear.s that as a rule the 

tLaurus coloradensis. rachis forks at an angle of approximately 45° 

*Pistia corrugata. a very short distance above the base of the 

*tPterospermites undulatus. frond, producing two broad, probably short, 

The species in the above list that are marked obtusely pointed lobes. In the specimen 

with an asterisk (*) are found also in the Mon- shown in figure 8 (right-hand leaf), however, 

tana of Wyoming, mainly at Point of Rocks; there is no evidence of forking within its prethose marked with a dagger (t) are found in served length of 5 centimeters, and whether it 

the Vermejo of Colorado and New Mexico. was forked at a still higher point or was entire 

Of the 40 forms making up the known flora can not be determined. The marginal teeth 

of the Fruitland and Kirtland formations, 16 may be noted at a number of points in the specihave been found in other areas, and the above mens figured but are especially distinct in 

list brings out the faot that no less than 15 of figure 6. . 

these forms are known to occur in the Montana. The nervation i.s very distinct and is well 

A further analysis of the list shows that 12 of shown in all the specimens. Most of the 

the 15 forms occur in the Vermejo formation of nerves fork at the base and some of them also 

Colorado and New Mexico, 10 occur in the above the middle, but here and there one may 

Mesaverde, or rooks of about this age, in I be noted that is simple and unforked throughWyoming and elsewhere, and 6 species are oom- out. Most of the nerves enter the teeth. 
332 SHORTER OONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

Several of the specimens, notably those illustrated in figures 7 and 9, show the fruit, though 

this fact was not detected until it was pointed 

out by W. R. Maxon, of the United States 

National Museum, to whom the specimens were 

shown. The sori are apparently somewhat 

immature, being very long and narrowly linear, 

hardly more than doubling the normal thickness 

of the vein. 

This species undoubtedly is most nearly 

related to Asplenium hemionitis Linne, now 

living in Spain, Portugal, and the adjacent Atlantic islands. A. hemionitis is usually fivelobed, having a large triangular acute terminal 

lobe and two shorter similar acute lateral lobes 

which are bluntly _or sometimes acutely lobed 

at the base; the basal sinus is deep and rounded, 

and the basal lobes overlap the stipe. 

Occurrence: · Kirtland shale, 3 inches below 

base of Ojo Alamo sandstone, 1! miles eastnortheast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N.Mex. Lot 40 (6966). 

Onoclea neomexicana Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXIV, figures 1, 2. 

Size and outline of whole frond unknown, 

though evidently it was rathe:r l~rge and at 

least bipinnatified; main rachis ·thin, ·ridged; 

pinnre apparently alternate, rather widely 

spaced, apparently connected by a broad wing; 

pinnre short, broad, deeply cut into several lobes, 

those near the base rather obtuse and provided 

with a few teeth, the outer lobes acute and 

entire; nervation very strongly marked, reticulated throughout, the reticulations or areas 

inclosed by the veins somewhat irregular but 

in general about four times longer than broad. 

The avail~ble material representing this form 

·is so scanty and imperfectly preserved that 

ordinarily to attempt a characterization of it 

would hardly be worth while, but it is so clear 

as far as it goes that it can undoubtedly be 

recognized if found in the future, and moreover 

it furnishes a valuable biologic step in the interpretation of the geologic history of this genus. 

As may be seen from the figures, which represent all but a few inconsequential fragments, 

it is impossible to form any adequate idea as to 

the size of the whole frond, as there is no means 

of knowing what part of the frond is represented. So far as can be made out the pinnre 

are alternate, a considerable distance apart, and 

apparently connected by a broad wing. The 

best-preserved pinna was about 4.5 centimeters 

long and at least 2.5 centimeters wide. It is cut 

into four or more lobes having rather large 

teeth. The other figured specimen is probably 

the tip of a pinna, but it may be the extreme 

tip of the whole frond. It is cut into large, 

sharp-pointed lobes. 

The nervation, as may be seen from the 

figures, is very distinct. It is completely anastomosing, the inclosed areas being somewhat 

irregular, though in general they are three or 

four times longer than broad. No trace of 

the fruiting frond was detected. 

This species is undoubtedly most closely related to the living Onoclea sensibilis Linne, 

which, so far as can be determined, has also 

been found abundantly and widely distributed, in a fossil state, in the Fort. Union formation. The fossil form, under the name Onoclea sensibilis fossilis, was first described and 

figured by Newberry 1 from specimens obtained 

at Fort Union, on Yellowstone River near the 

Montana-North Dakota line. This form and 

Onoclea neomexicana are so close together that 

with the material available it is not easy to point 

out essential differences between them. It 

appears, however, that in Onoclea neomexicana 

the pinnre are shorter and relatively more deeply 

cut into lobes, which are themselves more or less 

toothed. The nervation is more completely 

reticulated throughout than in Onoclea sensibilis 

fossilis, but more and better preserved material 

must be available before it will be possible to 

determine definitely its distinctness or identity. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale, 3 inches below 

base of Oj o Alamo sandstone, 1! miles eastnortheast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N. Mex. Lot 40 (6966). 

Family SCHIZIACElE. 

Anemia hesperia Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXIV, figure 3. 

Fronds presumably dimorphous; sterile frond 

roughly deltoid, 2.5 centimeters long, 3 centimeters broad, dipinnate, the rachis slender, 

pinnre three or four pairs, alternate, lanceolate, 

decreasing toward the apex; pinnules confluent, 

cuneate, erose-dentate at apex; nerves few, 

slender, at an acute angle, once or twice forked; 

fertile frond not known. 

I Newberry, J. S., New York Lyceum Nat. Hist. Annals, vol. 9, p. 30, 

1868;U. S. Geol. Survey Mon. 35, p. 8, pl.23,:fig. 3; pl.24, :figs.l-5,1898. 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATl(}NS. 333 

The little specimen figured is all that was 

found of this f_orm. It represents the upper 

portion of the frond, but whether it is the whole 

frond or a mere fragment can not be determined. 

From its apparent affinities it seems probable 

that the species was dimorphous, and that this 

specimen is only the sterile portion, the fertile 

frond remaining unknown. 

.4nemia hesperia finds its closest affinity with 

the living species of the group including Anemia wrightii Baker, Anemia cicutaria Kunze, 

and Anemia cuneata Kunze. These are all 

natives of Cuba and are found growing m 

crevices of rocks along shaded rivers. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, about 10 

miles south of Jewett and 2~ miles east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

14 (6947). 

Anemia sp. 

Plate LXXXIV, figure 4. 

The genus Anemia is very widely distributed 

both areally and vertically, but it rarely happens that specimens are well enough preserved 

to convey any adequate knowledge of the 

whole frond. The present material is so fragmentary that it does not admit of satisfactory 

identification. The specimen figured is sufficient to show clearly that it belongs to this 

genus, but beyond tilat no judgment can be 

ventured. It was evidently a large species, 

with pinnre cut deeply into deltoid, very finely 

toothed lobes. The nervation is of the usual 

type. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

76 (6953). 

Family PINACElE. 

Sequoia reichenbachi (Geinitz) Heer. 

.Araucarites reichenbachi Geinitz, Charakteristik der Schichten und Petrefacten des siichsisch-bohmischen 

Kreidegebirges, pt. 3, p. 98, pl. 24, fig. 4, 1842. 

Sequoia reichenbachi (Geinitz) Heer, Flora fossilis arctica, 

vol. 1, p. 83, pl. 43, figs. 1d, ab, 5a, 1868. 

Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 6, 

p. 51, pl. 1, figs. 10-10b, 1874; U. S. Geol. Survey 

Mon. 17, p. 35, pl. 2, fig. 4, 1892. 

The collections contain a few poorly preserved examples that are merely of sufficient 

value to indicate the presence of this widely 

spread species. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. In 

clinker above highest coal. Lot 75 (6956). 

Sequoia obovata? Knowlton. 

Sequoia obovata Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

101, p. -, pl. 30, fig. 7 (in press). 

Sequoia brevijolia Heer, Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. and 

Geog. Survey Terr. Bull., vol. 1, p. 365 [1876]; Ann. 

Rept. for 1874, p. 298 [1876]; Tenth A~n . Rept., for 

1876, p. 500 [1878]; U, S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., 

vol. 7, p . 78, pl. 61, figs. 25-27, 1878. 

Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, p. 27, pL 4, 

figs. 1-4, 1900. 

In the present collections from the San Juan 

Basin is a single small, poorly preserved specimen that is clearly a Sequoia and from the few 

leaves retained appears to belong to this 

species. That this may be so is rendered likely 

by the fact that characteristic and wellidentified specimens have previously been 

collected in this same region. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, Hunters 

Wash, 30 miles south of Farmington and 1 mile 

east df reservation line, San Juan County, 

N. Mex; Lot 78 (6952). 

Geinitzia formosa Heer. 

Plate LXXXV, figure 3. 

Geinitzia formosa Heer, Kreideflora von Quedlinburg: 

Schweiz. Gesell. Neue Denkschr., vol. 24, p. 6, 

pl. 1, fig. 9; pl. 2, 1871. 

Newberry, U. S. Geol. Survey Mon. 26, p. 51, pl. 9, 

fig. 9, 1876. 

Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, p. 28, pl. 5, 

figs. 1-2, 1900; U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 101, 

p. -, pl. 31, figs. 1-3 (in press). 

The figured specimen is a fragment of a 

branch of considerable size showing leaf bases 

and traces of the leaves. It is of somewhat 

doubtful validity in this connection. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 17 miles 

south of San Juan River and 2 miles east of Rio 

Chaco, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 26 

(6949). 

Family PONTEDERIACElE. 

Heteranthera cretacea Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXV, figure 5. 

Leaf evidently thick in texture, elliptical or 

very slightly ovate-elliptical, abruptly narrowed or rounded to a very narrow, short basal 

portion, rounded and slightly pointed at apex; 

three nerves arise in the basal portion of the 

blade or petiole, one passing up the center of 

the blade and the other two dividing the space 
334 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

between the first and the margin; from these 

three arise several · others of equal strength, 

there being altogether 10 or 12, close, parallel, 

and all curving around to and apparently 

entering the tip; no other nervation discernible. 

This curious little leaf is absolutely perfect 

except a minute portion of the tip. It is about 

22 millimeters long including the narrow basal 

portion or petiole, which is 3 millimeters in 

length and 15 millimeters wide. It is almost 

elliptical, though it is perhaps 1 millimeter 

broader in the lower portion than in the upper. 

There are 11 or 12 nerves, only three of which 

arise in the basal portion, . the others arising 

from them and all running into the tip. 

The genus Heteranthera is a small one, 

comprising about nine species, two of which 

garded as merely a small leaf of Pistia corrugata 

Lesquereux. The leaf from Point of Rocks is 

much smaller than the leaf here described and 

is more nearly circular, but· the "petiole" and 

the disposition of the nerves is much the same 

in both. It is certainly clear that the present 

leaf, as well as the one from Point of Rocks, is 

not the same as the type specimens of Dawson's 

Lemna scutata, and it is also reasonably certain 

that the present leaf can not belong to the 

genus Lemna. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, Coal 

Creek, 35 miles south of Farmington and 1 mile 

east of reservation line, San Juan County, 

N.Mex. Lot 81 (6955). 

Family ARACEJE. 

occur in tropical Africa and the others in Pistia corrugata Lesquereux. 

AmericUt. Only three species are found in the Plate LXXXV, figure 4. 

United States. They are herbs growing in mud Pistia corrugata Lesquereux, U.S. Geol. and Geog. Survey 

or shallow water, with creeping, ascending, or Terr. Ann. Rept. for 1874, p. 299 [1876]; U.S. Geol. 

floating stems and petioled leaves which may Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 103, pl. 61, figs. 1, 3, 

be cordate, ovate, oval, reniform, or even 4, 6, 7, 9-11, 1878. 

grasslike. Of the three United States species Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, p. 31, 1900. 

the one most similar to the present form is One of the collections from the San Juan 

Heteranthera limosa (Swartz) Willdenow, the Basin contains a single example with its oounsmaller mud plantain, which ranges from Vir- terpart that undoubtedly belongs to Pistia corginia to Kentucky and Missouri, south to rugata as desoribed by Lesquereux from speoiFlorida and Louisia:ha, and thence throughout . mens collected in the Montana group at Point 

tropical America. The li.ving species bears of Rocks, Wyo. As may be seen from the fignumerous oval or ovate leaves 1.5 to 2.5 centi- ure, it is considerably broken and adds little 

meters long on petioles 5 to 12 centimeters or nothing to our knowledge of the species. It 

long. The several nerves all arise from or near is · about the same as the specimen shown in 

the top of the petiole and arch around to figure 7 of Lesquereux's plate in volume 7 of 

the tip. · ·the Hayden Survey reports, in that it appears 

It ·will be noted that the fossil form agrees to be attached to the side of the thick stem, 

closely with this living species, the leaf being though it is perhaps really terminal and has 

more nearly elliptical or ovate-elliptical and been distorted in position during entombment. 

more abruptly pointed at the apex. The There appears to be a mass of rootlets by the 

nerves as they pass from base to apex are very side of the base, but these are so matted and 

similar in both forms, but in the fossil leaf they compressed that their character can not be . 

do not all arise from the top of the petiole, as made out. The nervation is the same as that 

apparently they do in the living species. It is figured by Lesquereux, namely, an indetermihelieved that the generic reference can hardly nate ·number of veins arising in the base of the 

be questioned. blade and spreading out and variously anastoThis species undoubtedly resembles and mosing above, producing very irregular polygindeed may be identical with a little leaf from onal meshes. 

Point of Rocks, Wyo., which was referred by Pistia corrugata is said to be very abundant 

Lesquereux 1 to Lemna scutata Dawson and at Point of, Rocks, Wyo., Lesquereux describwhich I afterward/ probably incorrectly, re- ing it as "covering by itself only large surfaces 

of shale." It was also found in beds of similar 1 Lesquereux, Leo, U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 102;pl. 

61, fig. 5 [not fig. 3], 1878. 

2 Knowlton, F. H., U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163,p. 31, 1900. 

age at Superior, Wyo., by Schultz in 1907, in 

beds believed to be of Mesa verde age in the 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 335 

Wind River Bas'in by Woodruff in 1909, and 

in the Judith River formation along Milk River, 

Mont., by Pepperberg in the same year. The 

questionable reference to this species of the 

specimens collected in 1908 near Alesua Mountain, N. Mex., by Gardner is now rendered 

more probably correct by the evidence of the 

present specimen. 

The genus Pistia has had a very interesting 

geologic history. It is represented in the liv_ 

ing flora by a single variable and widely distributed species (Pistia stratioles Linne). It is 

mainly tropical, ranging in this country from 

Florida to Texas and thence through the West 

Indies, Mexico, and Central America to Paraguay and Argentina. In Africa it ranges from 

Natal to Senegambia and Nubia, and thence to 

Madagascar and the Mascarene Islands. In 

Asia it is found throughout the East Indies 

and thence to the Philippines. 

Of the four or five fossil species recognized, 

three are found in North America. The oldest 

of these is Pistia nordenskioldi (Heer) Berry/ 

which occurs in the Magothy formation of 

Maryland and very abundantly in the Black 

Creek formation (Turonian) of North Carolina. 

I twas first described by Heer 2 under the name 

Ohondrophyllum nordenskioldi, from specimens 

found in the Atane beds of G~eenland. 

The next species in point of age is Pistia corrugata Lesquereux, which has already been discussed. 

The youngest American fossil form is Pistia 

claibornensis, from the Claiborne group (middle Eocene) of Georgia, recently described by 

Berry. 3 This differs markedly from the other 

forms by its obovate shape and strongly retuse 

apex. 

The only accepted European fossil species is 

Pistia mazeli Sa porta and Marion/ which occurs 

in the lignites of Furvean (Provence), France, 

and is of approximately the same age as Pistia 

corrugata. Pistia mazeli appears to be most 

closely related to the living form; in fact in the 

figures of the two species given side by side by 

Saporta and Marion it is almost impossible to 

1 Berry, E. W., Torrey Bot. Club Bull., vol. 37, p . 189, pl. 21, figs. 1-15, 

1910. 

2 Heer, Oswald, Flora fossilis arctica, vol. 3, p. 114, pl. 30, fig. 4b; pl. 

32, figs. 11, 12, 1874. 

a Berry, E. W ., U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 84, p. 137, pl. 26, figs. 

1-2, 1914. • 

'Saporta Gaston, and Marion, A. F., L'evolution.. du regne veg.etale, 

Phanerogames, vol. 2, p. 37, figs. 114c, 114d, 1885. 

note marks of distinction. In some ways it 

appears that the Claiborne species (Pistia 

claibornensis) is most closely related to Pistia 

mazeli, except that it is more retuse at the 

apex. However, its full character has not yet 

been made out, as it still depends on a single 

exatnple in which little of the nervation has 

been retained. 

The other two species (Pistia corrugata and 

Pistia nordenskioldi) are themselves closely 

related and are also close to the living species, 

the main difference being their larger size and 

more anastomosing nerves. 

The significant point brought out by this 

discussion is the fact that this peculiar plant, 

now so widely distributed over both hemispheres, was established in essentially its present 

form in late Cretaceous time, and even then 

occurred. in both hemispheres. It is rather 

remarkable that so little has been ascertained 

regarding its Cenozoic history, in view of the 

great number of localities that have been 

investigated, yet the evidence that it must have 

persisted with very little change is brought out 

by the above exposition. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale, 1 i miles northeast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N.Mex. Lot 96 (6965). 

Family PALMACElE. 

Sabal montana? Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXV, figure 2. 

Sabal montana Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

101, p. -, pl. 32, fig. 3 (in press). 

Sabalites grayanus (Lesquereux) Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. 

Survey Terr. Rept., ·vol. 7, p . 112, pl. 12, fig. 1 [not 

pl. 12, fig. 2], 1878. 

Most fossil palms are very difficult to identify 

and as a consequence are more or less unsatisfactory as stratigraphic criteria. The leaves 

are commonly of very large size and it is difficult to procure specimens that are anywhere 

near perfect, essential characters being in many 

specimens lacking or obscure. A specimen 

perhaps no larger than one's hand from a leaf 

that was possibly 5 or 6 feet in diameter can not 

fail to convey a very inadequate idea of its 

character, particularly the range in individual 

variation, and it is not at all improbable that 

too many species have been established. 

The specimen under consideration is a case in 

point.. It is- a fragment, only about 10 centi-
336 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

meters long, from some portion of the blade 

showing the petiole, or its prolongation, and the 

attachment of numerous rays. It appears to 

be from the under side of the leaf, but it is 

impossible to determine the length of this prolongation of the petiole or to estimate the number of rays with any degree of accuracy. It 

seems to belong to what has been named Sabal 

montana, as based on a considerahle number of 

examples rather widely scattered through the 

several Montana localities, but on the other 

hand it is hardly to be distinguished from 

Geonomites ungeri Lesquereux, 1 a species supposed to be confined to the Raton and allied 

Eocene formations. Geonomites ungeri was 

established on a mere fragment from the middle 

of a leaf that was obviously of considerable size, 

and there is no means of knowing the size and 

configuration of the petiole, the number of rays, 

etc., and consequently there is no way to compare it with leaves referred to Sabal montana, 

in which these features are known. However, 

until more definite information is available 

the San Juan specimen may stand as Sabal 

montana?. 

Occurrence: Fruitland · formation, 18 miles 

south of San Juan River and 4 miles east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N. Mex. 

Lot 28 (6961). 

Sabal? sp. 

Plate LXXXV, figure 1. 

The specimen here figured is the only one of 

its kind observed in the col~ections. It is a 

mere fragment from what apparently was a 

very large leaf, but it lacks so many essential 

features that it has seemed unwise to give it a 

specific name. When compared with the 

specimen figured as Sabal montana? it is seen 

to be very different, the prolongation· of the 

rachis being especially strong and the rays very 

large at the point of their attachment. But the 

size of the leaf, the length of the rachis, and the 

number and configuration of the rays. are unknown, and this fragment simply serves to call 

attention to the presence in these beds of a 

large palm. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, just across 

San Juan River from Fruitland, about half a 

mile above the bridge, San Juan County, 

N. Mex. Lot 3 (6957). 

1 Lesquereux, Leo, U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 118, pl. 

11, fig. 2, 1878. 

Family MYRICACElE. 

Myrica torreyi Lesquereux. 

Plate LXXXVI, figure 1. 

Myrica torreyi Lesquereux, U. S. Geol. and Geog. Survey 

Terr. Sixth Ann. Rept., for 1872, p. 392 [1873]; 

U. S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 129, 

pl. 16, figs. 3-10, 1878. 

Ward, U. S. Geol. Survey Sixth Ann. Rept., p. 551, 

pl. 40, fig. 4, 1886; Bull. 37, p. 32, pl. 14, fig. 5, 1887. 

Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, p. 34, 

pl. 6, figs. 1-3, 1900. 

Cockerell, Colorado Univ. Studies, vol. 7, p. 150, 1910. 

Only a few fragments of this species were 

found, but it is so well marked that these are 

sufficient to attest its presence in these beds. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex, Lot 75 

(6956). ~ 

Myrica? neomexicana Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXVI, figures 2-4. 

Leaves small, deltoid in general outline, 

apparently truncate at ,the base and obtusely 

pointed at the apex; with at least 9 and 

probably as many as 11. or 13 lobes, the basal 

pair cut deeply or nearly to the midrib, becoming almost separate, others only slightly 

cut and in upper portion probably reduced to • 

merely strong undulations; lobes obtuse, entire 

or more commonly strongly and obtusely 

toothed; nervation pinnate, the midrib being 

relatively strong; secondaries as many as the 

lobes, at a low angle of emergence, craspedodrome, ending in the lobes; finer nervation 

abundant and very irregular. 

Although there are several spemmens that 

obviously belong together they are so fragmentary that the species is very inadequately 

represented. It is roughly triangular or deltoid, and was at least. 4 centimeters in length 

and very probably was considerably longer. 

The width at base was certainly over 4 centimeters, and if there was an additional free or 

nearly free lobe, its width must have been 6 

centimeters or more. 

Three specimens have been figured. In 

that shown in figure 3 the lobes are nearly 

or quite entire, but in the somewhat larger leaf 

shown in figure 2 the lobes are irregularly 

and obtusely toothed.· The specimen shown 

in figure 4 is evidently the basal lobe of the 

leaf, but whether it belonged to a larger leaf 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS~ 337 

or is another nearly detached lobe below the 

one ihown in figure 2 is of course quite impossible to determine. Except for its close 

resemblance to the lower lobe like that in 

figure 2, this specimen might be considered 

an individual leaf, but it is broken on the 

upper side near the base, where it was undoubtedly connected to the other part of the 

blade. 

Owing to the fragmentary nature of these 

specimens this generic reference is more or 

less uncertain. In some respects they are 

of the character of certain species of Myrica, 

such, fo'r instance, as Myrica alkalina Lesquereux,t from the Green River formation of 

Wyoming, but they differ markedly in many 

essential particulars. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale, 3 inches below 

base of Ojo Alamo sandstone, 1~ miles northeast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N. Mex. Lot 40 (6966). 

Family SALICACElE. 

Salix baueri Knowlton, n .. sp. 

Plate LXXXVI, figures 7, 8. 

Leaves small, of firm texture, narrowly elliptical-lanceolate, about equally narrowed to both 

base and apex; margin entire; midrib relatively very thick; other nervation obscure or 

wanting. 

This little species is represented in the collections by some half dozen specimens, three of 

which are here figured. They are small leaves 

3 or 4 centimeters in length and about 14 

millimeters in greatest width. They are preserved on a very coarse grained matrix which 

has obscured or obliterated nearly all traces of 

nervation except the very thick midrib. An 

occasional secondary appears to be at an angle 

of about 45° and much curved upward near the 

margin. 

These little leaves are so obscurely preserved 

that their full character can not be made out, 

and they are consequently of comparatively 

little stratigraphic value. They are of about 

the same size and shape as specimens of Salix 

integra Goppert from Black Buttes, Wyo., as 

figured by Lesquereux, 2 but the absence of 

1 Lesquereux, Leo, U. S. ~Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 8, p. 149, 

pl. 45.A, figs. 10-15, 1883. 

2 Idem, vol. 7, p. 167, pl. 21, figs. 1, 2, 1878. 

most of the nervation makes it impossible to 

compare them satisfactorily with this species. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 10 miles 

south of San Juan River and 4 miles east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

16 (6958). 

Salix sp. a Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXVI, figure 9. 

Salix sp. a Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 101, 

p. -,pl. 38, fig. 1 (in press). 

The collection contains a number of willow 

leaves that are indistinguishable from a form 

described and figured from the V ermej o formation of the Raton Mesa region. The leaf 

figured here, which is one of the best, is about 

8 centimeters in length and 1.8 centimeters in 

width. It has a very thick midrib and oilly 

faint indications of secondaries, which appear 

to be close, parallel, and at an angle of about 

45°. It is so indistinctly preserved that it has 

not been thought desirable to give it a specific 

name. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 10 miles 

south of San Juan River and 4 miles east of 

Cha~o River, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

16 (6958). 

Family FAGACElE. 

Quercus baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXVI, figures 5, 6. 

Leaf _small, of coriaceous texture, ovateelliptical, about equally rounded to both base 

and apex; margin provided with relatively 

strong, rather obtuse teeth; midrib very strong; 

secondaries about four pairs, strong, alternate, 

craspedodrome, terminating in the teeth; finer 

nervation obscure. 

The specimen here figured is nearly perfect 

and is 3.5 centimeters long and 2 centimeters 

wide. It was evidently a rather thick and 

coriaceous leaf, as is attested both by its thick 

nervation and by its general appearance. 

This species has some resemblance to an unpublished species of Quercus from the V ermej o 

formation but differs in its slightly smaller size 

and less prominent teeth. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, from 

clinker above highest coal bed, 30 miles south 

of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation 

line, San Juan Basin, N. Mex. Lot 75 (6956). 
338 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

Family MORACElE. 

Ficus baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXIX, figure 2. 

Leaves of medium size and firm texture ' ovate, rather abruptly rounded to the apparently truncate base, amJplinate at apex; midrib strong, straight; secondaries three or four 

pairs, very remote, alternate, at an angie of 

45°, strong below, much thinner and almost 

disappearing above, probably camptodrome; 

nervilles ~hin, very obscure, oblique to the 

midrib; finer nervation. not retained. 

The specimen figured, although it lacks a 

considerable portion of the leaf, is sufficient to 

give a good idea of this species. It is very 

regularly ovate, about 115 centimeters in 

length and 7 centimeters in greatest width, 

which is above the middle of the blade. It is 

remarkable for its strong midrib and its few, 

remote, alternate secondaries. 

vation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). 

Ficus prmtrinervis Knowlton. 

Fic:us prretrinervis Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. 

Paper 101, p. -, pl. 41, figs. 1-4; pl. 42, fig. 1 (in 

press). 

The types of this species come from the 

Vermejo formation of the Raton Mesa .region 

of Colorado and New Mexico and are described 

·and figured in the report cited. It is a wellmarked and exceedingly abundant form in 

the Vermejo formation and appears to be also 

abundant and well defined in the San Juan 

Basin. 

Ocourrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miies 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lots 

75 (6956) and 78 (69.52). 

Ficus leei Knowlton. 

This species is in a ~ay of the .type of Ficus Plate XC, figure 2. 

denveriana Cockerell,1 a well-known Denver 

species. It didfers markedly in nervation, Ficus leei Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 

however, as it has only three or four pairs of 101, p. -,pl. 39, figs.1-6; pl. 40, figs. 1, 2 (in press). 

very remote ~econdaries, while the Denver The types of this fine species come from the 

form has not less than ten or twelve paim of V ermejo formation of the Raton Mesa region 

relatively close parallel secondaries. The man- , of Colorad9 and N." ew Mexico and, a~e described 

ner in which the secondaries re~ch the margin and figured in the report cited. It is one of 

is also very different in the two forms and the most abundant and well-mar.ked forms of 

hence they can not be considered as ~t all the Vermejo formation. . 

closely related. Ficus leei is also fairly abundant in the San 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, in clinker Juan Basin, though the leaves are somewhat 

above highest coal bed, 30 miles south of smaller than the average size of those from 

Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation the type area, but they do not otherwise 

line, San Juan Basin, N. Mex. Lot 75 (6956). differ. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, Amarillo 

Ficus curta? Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXVIII, figure 3. 

Fic:us eurta Knowlton, U.S. Geol. Survey Prof. Paper 101, 

p. -, pl. 42, fig. 5 (in press). 

The type of this. species comes from the 

Vermejo formation of the Canon City coal 

field,. Colorado, and is described and figured in 

the report cited. 

The specimen her~ figured lacks most of the 

margin, but so far as can be made out it appears 

to agree with the leaf from Colorado. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south ·of Farmington and 1 mile east of reser1 A new name for Ficus spectabilis Lesquereux, which proved to be 

preoccupied. See U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, pl. 33, figs. 

4-6, 1878. 

Canyon, 10 miles south of San Juan River hnd 

4 miles east of Chaco River, N. Mex., lot 16 

(6958); 30 miles south of San Juan River and 

4! miles east of reservation line, San Juan 

County, N. Mex., lot 74 (6963). Kirtland 

shale; 1! miles northeast of Pina Veta China, 

San Juan County, N. Mex., lot 40 (6966). 

Ficus prmlatifolia Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXVII, figure 4. 

Leaves large, broadly ovate, truncate or 

slightly heart-shaped at base, probably obtuse 

above; nervation strongly three-ribbed from 

the top of the petiole, the midrib stronger, with 

several pairs of subopposite secondaries high 

up above the base; lateral ribs with siX or 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 389 

seven secondary camptodrome branches on 

the outside; nervilles numerous, strong, mostly 

unbroken. 

This species is represented by a number of 

examples, one of the best of which is figured. 

It was probably not less than 13 or 14 centimeters in length and about 9 centimeters in 

width, but the exact length can only be 

inferred. · It was conspicuously longer than 

broad. The strong, three-ribbed nervation 

and other details are well shown in the figure. 

This form appears to be most closely related 

to Ficus planicostata latijolia Lesquereux 1 

(later called Ficus latijolia (Lesquereux) Knowlton), which was described originally from 

specimens collected at Black Buttes, Wyo., 

but has since been discovered at a number of 

other localities. If only the basal portion was 

present it would be extremely difficult to distinguish the San Juan leaf from the previously 

named species, but the shape of the whole leaf 

is very different. Thus, in Ficus planicostata 

latifolia the blade is very much broader than 

long, but in the one under consideration the 

reverse is true. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). 

Ficus sp. 

Plate LXXXIX, figure 1. 

The single much-broken specimen figured is 

the only one noted. It is a rather large leaf 

(about 12 centimeters long and 6.5 centimeters 

wide) elliptical-ovate, with apparently a slightly 

heart-shaped base, and entire margin. The 

entire upper part is missing. The nervation 

consists of a rather slender midrib and an unknown number of thin, remote, alternate 

secondaries, the lower of which has several 

tertiary branches on the lower side. None of 

the finer nervation is retained, owing to the 

coarse-grained matrix. 

This form is so poorly preserved that it is 

hardly worth while to institute comparisons 

between it and various named species. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, Amarillo 

Canyon, 10 miles south of San Juan River and 

4 miles east of Chaco River, San Juan County, 

N.Mex. Lot 16 (6958). 

I Lesquereux, Leo, U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 202, pl. 

31, fig . 9, 1878. 

Ficus rhamnoides Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXVII, figure 3. 

FiewJ rhamnoides Knowlton, U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, 

p. 47, pl. 10, figs. 1-3; pl. 11, fig. 1, 1900. 

This species was described originally from 

specimens found in the Montana group at 

Point of Rocks, Wyo. The specimen figured 

here, although lacking all the lower half of the 

leaf, agrees in every particular with the original 

specimens. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 13 miles 

south of San Juan River and 1 mile east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N.Mex. Lot 

23 (6960). 

Ficus squarrosa? Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXVI, figure 10. 

Ficus squarrosa Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, 

p. 45, pl. 8, fig. 2, 1900. 

The single example figured is referred with 

doubt to this species. It is a much smaller 

leaf than the type but does not appear to differ 

essentially otherwise. It is so poorly preserved, 

however, that it seems best to question the full 

identification. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N.Mex. Lot ·76 

(6963). 

Ficus sp. 

Plate LXXXVIII, figure 1. 

Leaf large, apparently nearly circular in general outline, rather broadly heart-shaped at 

base, probably rounded above; nervation 

strongly marked, consisting of seven · ribs from 

the top of the petiole, the central or midrib 

slightly the stronger, with two pairs of opposite, 

remote secondaries, oth~r ribs (three on each 

side) about equally dividing the broad blade 

into four areas, the inner pair of ribs joining 

the lower secondaries of the midrib; the lower 

ribs with tertiary branches on the outside which 

join by a series of broad loops just inside 

the margin; nervilles numerous, very strong, 

mainly broken; finer nervation producing quadrangular areolre. 

This form is undoubtedly very well marked, 

but unfortunately it lacks nearly all the margin 

except at the base and for a distance of some 

4 centimeters above it. This leaf was probably 

11 or 12 centimeters long and hardly less than 
r 

340 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS T'O GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

12 centimeters broad. The rather deeply heartshaped base, seven strong ribs, strongly looping 

tertiaries, and strong, broken nervilles would 

make it easy of recognition though it lacks so 

much of the blade. 

This leaf suggests at once Ficus wardii 

Knowlton, 1 from the Montana group at Point 

of Rocks, Wyo. That species, however, is 

smaller and has a shallower heart-shaped base 

and only five instead of seven ribs. The lower 

or outer ribs in Ficus wardii have numerous 

regular, parallel tertiary branches quite unlike 

the tertiaries in the present form. These characters should make it easy of recognition in the 

future. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 75 

(6956). 

very thin, alternate, at an angle of 30° or 40°J 

much curved upward and disappearing just inside the margin or each joining by a series of 

very thin loops to the one next above; nervilles 

all very much broken and irregular and forming different-sized areolre. 

The example figured is the only one observed. 

It is a narrowly lanceolate, slightly unequalsided leaf about 9 centimeters long and a little 

over 2.5 centimeters wide. It is remarkable in 

that the margin is formed by a thick fibrous 

"cord" nearly 1 millimeter in width, which 

otherwise resembles a secondary branch. The 

midrib is very. thick for the size of the leaf, but 

the secondarjes are thin and delicate. The 

actual leaf substance is retained as a thin membranaceous carbonaceous film; which shows all 

the details of the nervation as completely as 

could be seen in a living leaf. When this carFicus eucalyptifolia? Knowlton. bonaceous film is removed it is found that the 

Plate LXXXVII, figures 1, 2. details of nervation are very faintly impressed 

Ficus eucalyptifolia Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. on the matrix. It seems probable, from the 

P 101 · 1 44 fi 1 2 (" ) thick midrib, the woody margm· al "cord,'' and aper , p. -, p . , gs. , In press . 

the faintly impressed secondaries, that the leaf The types of this species come from the Verwas originally thick and coriaceous and not mejo formation of Rockvale, Colo., and are unlikely was evergreen. described and figured in the report cited. The 

San Juan Basin material embraces a number This species is of the general type of certain 

of the leaves referred by Lesquereux 2 to Laurus of leaves that appear to belong to this species, socialis, a well-known Tertiary form. It differs but as they are rather poorly preserved it has from that species, however, in its larger size, seemed best to question the reference. They fewer secondaries, which curve upward for a 

are, so far as can be made out, of the same size longer distance, and above all in the presence and shape as the types, but the nervation, of the marginal "cord." with the exception of the strong midrib, is Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 2 miles obscure. The secondaries appear to be very · east of Chaco River, San Juan Basin, N.Mex. thin, evenly spaced, and parallel, but their Lot 14 (

6948). 

termination near the margin can not be seen. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 13 miles 

south of San Juan River and 1 mile east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

23 (6960). 

Family LAURACElE. 

Laurus baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXIX, figure 5. 

Leaf evidently of thick texture and probably 

evergreen, lanceolate, narrowed in about equal 

degree to the wedge-shaped base and apparently acuminate apex (actual base and apex 

not preserved); margin entire, provided with a 

thick "cord" which makes the actual margin; 

midrib relatively thick, straight; secondaries 

1 Knowlton, F. H., Flora of the Montana formation: U.S. Geol. Survey Bull. 163, p. 48, pl. 9, fig. 1, 1900. 

Laurus coloradensis Knowlton. 

Plate LXXXVIII, figures 4, 5. 

Laurus coloradensis Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey Prof. 

Paper 101, p. -, pl. 45, fig. 3 (in press). 

The type of this species comes from the 

V ermejo formation at Rockvale, Colo., and is 

described and figured in the report Cited. The 

two leaves here figured are somewhat smaller 

than the type but do not appear to differ 

essentially in any other particular. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 13 miles 

south of San Juan River and 1 mile east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N.Mex. Lot 

23 (6960). 

2Lesquereux, Leo, U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 213, pl. 

36, figs. 1-4, 7, 1878. 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS . 341 

Family NYMPHlEACElE. 

Nelumbo sp. 

Plate LXXXVI, figure 11. 

The San Juan Basin collections include the 

specimen here figured, which appears to belong 

to Nelumbo. It is a fragment from near the 

central part of what was a perfoliate leaf of 

considerable size, though none of the margin is 

now retained. The leaf was at least 12 centimeters in diameter and very likely was nearly 

twice this size. It was evidently very thick, 

as is proved by the fact that the ribs seem 

deeply embedded in the leaf substance-so 

deeply, in fact, that it is impossible to determine their exact number, though there were 

apparen~ly as many as 18 or 20. There is also 

evidence that some of them were unforked. 

None of the other details can now be made out. 

It is hardly worth while to attempt comparisons between ·this and described species 

of the genus, as so many of its characters are 

obscure or missing. It appears, however, to be 

of the type of the common living Nelumbo lutea 

(Willdenow) Persoon, the water chinkapin of 

lakes and streams. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1. mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

76 (6953). 

Family MIMOSACElE. 

Leguminosites? neomexicana Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate XC, figures 3, 4. 

Leaflet minute, about 11 millimeters in 

length and 5 millimeters in width, ovatelanceolate, rounded and apparently truncate 

at base, acuminate at apex; midrib very thick 

for the size of the blade; secondaries extremely thin, about four pairs, alternate, 

camptodrome, each joining the one next above 

and forming a bow far inside the margin; finer 

nervation not retained. 

It must be confessed that this leaflet is of 

little stratigraphic value, its main interest 

being in the evidence it affords of the presence 

of vegetation of this type in these beds. It is 

so very small and on the whole so poorly preserved that comparisons with other forms 

referred to this type will not be attempted. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale, 1! miles northeast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N. Mex. Lot 40 (6966). 

. 

Family STERCULEACElE. 

Pterospermites undulatus Knowlton. 

Plate XC, figure 5. 

Pterospermites undulatus Knowlton, U. S. Geol. Survey 

Bull. 163, p. 67, pl. 16, fig. 3; pl. 17, fig. 2; pl. 18, 

fig. 4, 1900. 

The example figured, which unfortunately is 

much broken, appears to be referable to this 

species. It is of about the average size of 

those from Point of Rocks, Wyo., and with 

the exception of being a little more rounded 

below does not differ essentially. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). 

Pterospermites neomexicanus Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate XC, figure 6. 

Leaf evidently thin in texture, ovate, 

abruptly truncate and slightly heart-shaped 

at base, acuminate at apex; margin entire 

below, becoming slightly undulate in the middle and few-toothed in the upper third, the 

teeth small, sharp, pointing outward, and 

separated by very shallow sinuses; midrib 

slender; secondaries about four pairs, subopposite, remote, the lower pair arising near 

the top of the petiole, with five or six branches 

on the lower or outer side, the lowest with 

several tertiary camptodrome branches on the 

lower side; upper secondaries simple or occasionally branched; nervilles few, irregular; 

finer nervation not retained. 

This leaf is regularly ovate, about 8 centimeters long and 5.5 centimeters wide at the 

broadest point, which is just below the middle. 

It is otherwise distinguished by its few secondaries and by the margin entire below and 

undulate and finely toothed above. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). 

Pterospermites sp. 

Plate LXXXIX, figure 3; Plate XC, figttre 1. 

One of the collections contains a fragment of 

a very large leaf that apparently belongs to 

the genus Pterospermites. It could hardly 

have been less than 18 centimeters in length 

and was at least 14 centimeters in width. It 
342 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

. was apparently, broadly ovate, ro.unded at the 

base, with the margin strongly undulatetoothed, both the teeth and the sinuses separating them being rounded. The secondaries 

are strong, occasionally forked, approximately 

parallel, and craspedodrome. N ervilles rather 

scattered, somewhat irregular but usually 

unbroken. Finer nervation p:roducing an irregularly quadrangular mesh. 

Associated in the same collection is the 

specimen shown in figure 1, which represents 

the basal portion of a large leaf that is probably the same species as that shown in Plate 

LXXXIX, figure 3. It is deeply heart-shaped 

at the base. The midrib is very strong, and 

the secondaries are at a very low angle. The 

petiole is preserved for a length of 1.5 centimeters and is very thick and strong. · 

This leaf, which is obviously too much broken 

to admit of satisfactory diagnosis, appears to 

be congeneric with Pterospermites undulatus 

Knowlton/ from Point of Rocks, Wyo., but 

it was much larger and has a more markedly 

undulate margin. The secondaries appear to 

emerge from the midrib at a lower angle than 

in the Point of Rocks form, but this point is 

obscure. The finer nervation is about the 

same in both forms. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale; 1! miles northeast ·of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, 

N.Mex. Lot 40 (6966). 

Family GROSSULARIACElE. 

Ribes neomexicana Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXIX, figure 4. 

Leaf small, firm in texture, broader than 

long, three-lobed, the lateral lobes strongly 

toothed (central lobe much broken); base 

truncate or very slightly heart-shaped; nervation not well retained, consisting at least of a 

fairly strong midrib and two lateral ribs that 

arise at or near the base and supply the lateral 

lobes, each apparently with several branches on 

the outside that end in the marginal teeth. 

This little leaf, the only one of its kind in the 

collections, is broadly ovate in general outline, 

about 2 . centimeters long and nearly 3 centimeters broad. It appears to be rather deeply 

three-lobed, and each of the lateral lobes is pro-

. t Knowlton, F. H., U.S. Geol. Survey Bull.163, p. 67, p1.17,fig. 2,1900. 

vided with five or six strong pointed teeth. The 

middle lobe is so much broken that its exact 

shape can not be made out, though it was 

doubtless toothed like the others. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 10 miles 

south of San Juan· River and 4 miles east of 

Chaco River, San Juan County, N. Mex. 

Lot 16 (6958). 

INCERTlE SEDES. 

Carpites baueri Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate LXXXVIII, figure 2. 

Fruit spheroidal, about 11 by 13 millimeters 

in short and long diameter, much compressed; 

surrounded by an exocarp fully 1 millimeter 

thick; "stone" deeply sulcate at one end but 

not otherwise marked. 

The example figured is the only one found 

in the collections and consequently its exact 

character is difficult to determine; in fact, it 

is impossible to be certain of its orientation. 

The sulcation on one side is probably opposite 

the point of attachment. The nature of the 

outer covering is difficult to interpret. It 

could hardly have been fleshy, as it is so uniform in thickness and so distinct, and probably it was an exocarp similar to that in certain 

species of Carya. The inner portion, or "shell, '' 

is without markings except the deep furrow on 

one side. It is perhaps needless to add that 

its affinity is not known. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, Coal Creek, 

35 miles south of Farmington and 1 mile 

east of reservation line, San Juan County, 

N. Mex. Lot 81 (6955). 

Phyllites petiolatus Knowlton, n. sp. 

Plate XCI, figure 3. 

Leaves small, membranaceous in texture, 

elliptical-lanceolate, long wedge-shaped at 

base, apparently narrowly acuminate at apex; 

margin perfectly entire; petiole very strong, 

more than 2.5 centimeters in length; midrib 

very strong below, becoming thin in the upper 

third of the leaf; secondaries four pairs, alternate, at an angle of about 50°, each running 

up for a long distance and disappearing in or 

near the margin or joining the secondary next 

above· nervilles numerous, very thin, mainly ' . unbroken, at right angles to the secondaries; 

finer nervation obscure . 

0 
FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 343 

The leaf figured is the best one observed. 

It is about 7 centimeters long and slightly 

over 2 centimeters in width, the petiole, as 

already stated, adding at least 2.5 centimeters to the total length. This species may be 

known by its elliptical-lanceolate shape, long 

wedge-shaped base, long, thick petiole, and 

only four pairs of alternate secondaries. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservation line, San Juan Cop.nty, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). 

Phyllites neomeXicanus Knowlton, n. sp. 

its point of origin; the lower branch usually 

traverses the length of the blade and occasionally branches or forks, and the upper one distinctly forks once or twice into equal branches 

entirely after the manner of a fern. 

The size and general appearance of this little 

plant, as well as the shape and close overlapping of many of the foliar organs (" pinnules" 

or "leaflets"), are somewhat suggestive of 

Selaginella, but if it were of that genus it 

should belong to a type in which · there should 

be present two other rows of minute scalelike 

leaves, and nothing of the kind has been detected. Moreover, the nervation does not 

Plate XCI, :figure 2. agree with the nervation of Selaginella. 

Leaf small rather thick in texture slightly On first inspection it suggested Selaginella 

obovate-ellip~ical rather abruptly' wedge- falcata Lesquereux/ from Point of Rocks, 

shaped at base', apparently rounded and Wyo., but closer st~dy shows that the "l~aves" 

rather obtuse above; margin entire; midrib are much .bro~der In the pre~ent matenal and 

relatively strong; secondaries about five pairs, have a q~Ite different nervatwn. 

subopposite remote at an angle of about 50o The pmnate arrangement of the narrow ' . ' '"" "t] fth "' l" somewhat · turned upward, camptodrome or pinnre, le appeara~ce 0 ~ pmnu es, 

just barely reaching the margin. nervilles and above all the forking nervatiOn suggest a 

mainly unbroken, somewhat obliq~e to the small delicate fern of the asplenoid ~ype, but 

d . Mr. W. R. Maxon, to whom the specrmen was 

secon aries. h . . · · · · d h 

Th. l"ttl 1 'f · 6 5 t" t · 1 th s own, Is qmte certain It Is not a pten op yte. IS I e ea IS . cen nne ers m eng . . . . . fE.n 

d 3 t. t · 'dth · t b th Considering these uncertamties as to Its a -

an cen nne ers m WI JUS a ove e . . I . 1 · b' 1 · II · ddl · I ties, Will not venture to p ace It 10 ogiCa y 

miOcc:rrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles until more and better material is available. 

Occurrence: Kirtland shale, 1! miles north- south of Farmington and 1 mile east of resereast of Pina Veta China, San Juan County, vation line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 (6956). N.Mex. Lot 43 (6965). 

Unassigned plant (a). 

Plate XCI, :figures 4-9. 

In one of the collections there are several 

specimens of a plant whose exact affinity has 

not been ascertained. The most complete example, shown in figure 8 (enlarged in fig. 9), is 

pinnate, with several narrowly lanceolate fernlike "pinnre," about 15 millimeters long and 

5 millimeters broad, with two close rows of 

small, scythe-shaped organs (pinnules or leaflets). Some of the little "pinnules" (see fig. 

4) are short-petioled; others are nearly or quite 

sessile below, becoming confluent above. In 

the upper portion of some of the "pinnre" the 

"pinnules" are set so closely that the blades 

distinctly overlap. 

The nervation of the "pinnules" is peculiar. 

A single vein arises from the petiole at the 

lower margin of the blade and forks just above 

Unassigned plant (b). 

Plate XCI, :figure 1. 

In one of the collections of red baked shale 

there is a specimen that is worthy of brief 

mention, although it is very fragmentary and 

hence difficult of allocation. It consists of a 

fragment of a stem about 4 centimeters in 

length and about 4 millimeters in diameter. 

It bears apparently opposite or subopposite 

leaves, whose sheathing bases cover the stem 

for a considerable distance below each node. 

The leaves are lanceolate and slightly constricted at the base and presumably acute at 

the apex, though no tips are preserved. The 

leaves are retained for a length of about 1.5 

centimeters, but may well have been many 

times this length. They are unkeeled and pro1 Lesquereux, Leo, U.S. Geol. Survey Terr. Rept., vol. 7, p. 46, pl.61, · 

figs. 12-15, 1878. 
344 SHORTER CONTRIBUTIONS TO GENERAL GEOLOGY, 1916. 

vided with numerous close, fine, parallel veins 

with cross veinlets. 

The affinity of this plant has not been determined. The leaves with their sheathing bases 

suggest a sedge, but this is hardly more than a 

suggestion, for they do not agree with the combined characters of this group. The plant is 

evidently a monocotyledon and in general appearance somewhat resembles some of the 

leafy-stemmed forms of Cypripedium or 

Habenaria, but this resemblance is perhaps 

hardly more than superficial, and the fact remains that the specimen is too fragmentary to 

permit complete identification. 

Occurrence: Fruitland formation, 30 miles 

south of Farmington and 1 mile east of reservatwn line, San Juan County, N. Mex. Lot 

75 [6956]. 
PLATES LXXXIV-XCI. 

346 
PLATE LXXXIV. 

Page. 

FIGURES 1, 2. Onoclea neomexicana Knowlton ............................................................... 332 

3. Anemia hesperia Knowlton ............ _ ...................................................... 332 

4. Anemia sp .................. _ ...................... _ ............. _ ............................ 333 

5-9. Asplenium neomexicanum Knowlton ........................................................... 331 

346 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXIV 

6 

3 

4 

9 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXV 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
PLATE LXXXV. 

Page.; 

FIGURE 1. Sabal? sp. __ . _________________ ..... . ............. _. __ ... _. _ .... _____ . _____ . __________________ .... 336 

2. Sabal montana? Knowlton ................. _._._._. _____ . ___ .... ___ : ... __ .. _ .... _ ..... __ ._. ______ 335 

3. Geinitziajormosa Heer __ ................ _______ . __ _ ... ___________ . _. _. _____ . _ ........ _________ . _ 333 

4. Pistia corrugata Lesquereux ____ ... ____ . _ . _______ . _____ . _______ . ___ . _____ . ___ . _______ . _ ... _ .. _____ 334 

5. Heteranthera cretacea Knowlton __ .... _ . _______________________ . __________________ . __ .. ___ . _ . ____ . _ 333 

347 
PLATE LXXXVI. . Page. 

FIGURE 1. Myrica torreyi Lesquereux ............................................. . ..... ... ............... 336 

2-4. Myrica? neomexicana Knowlton ................... _ . _____ . _ ......... , . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 336 

5, 6. Quer~s baueri Knowlton ....... .. __ ... ... _ .... . __ ____ . ....... _ .... ___ ._ .... . ... . ..... ~ .. . ...... 337 

7, 8. Salix baueri Knowlton ................... _____________ ....... _. __ ._ ...... _ .. . . . . . ............. 337 

9. Salix sp. a Knowlton ...... _. ___ .. ____ .. _____ _____________ ._ . ....... _ ..... ___ ..... _________ ._ .. 337 

10. Ficus squarrosa? Knowlton ... _______________ ____ _____ ____________ .. _ .. ___ .. _ .. . .... . __ . . __ .... -. 339 

11. Nelumbo sp .................. ______ .- ___ ... . __________ _________ ... ______ .... _ .... . ..... _ ...... 341 

348 
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXVI 

3 

2 4 

1 

6 7 

5 

10 8 

9 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXVII 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
PLATE LXXXVII. 

Page.; 

FIGURES 1, 2. FiC'Us eucalyptijolia? Knowlton ..... _._._ . .. . . . _______ .... _.................................. 340 

3. FiC'Us rhamnoides Knowlton ......... __ ._ .. __ .. ......... _._. __ . ___ ................... . ....... 339 

4. FiC'US pr;elatijolia Knowlton............ . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 

349 

.1 
PLATE LXXXVIII. 

Page. 

FIGURE 1. Ficus sp.................... . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 339 

2. Carpites baueri Knowlton....................................................................... 342 

3. Ficus curta? Knowlton.......................................................................... 338 

4, 5. Laurus coloradensis Knowlton ............................... " ......................... ;.... ... 340 

350 
U.S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXVIII 

1 2 

4 

3 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE LXXXIX 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
PLATE LXXXIX. 

Page. 

FIGURE 1. Ficus sp................................ .. ..................................................... 339 

2. Ficus baueri Knowlton................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 338 

3. Pterospermites sp ... . .................. .. .. .. ............................. ·.................... 341 

4. Ribes neomexicana Knowlton ................ .. ............................... ·................... 342 

5. Laurus baueri Knowlton ................ .. .......... ".......................................... 340 

351 
PLATE XC. 

Page. 

FIGuRE 1. Pterospermites sp.................. . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . . 341 

2. Ficusleei Knowlton............................................................................ 338 

3. Leguminosites? neomexicana Knowlton.......................................................... 341 

4. Same, X 2~-------------··········· ·········································· ············--- ~41 

5. Pterospermites undulatus Knowlton.............................................................. 341 

6. Pterospermites neomexicanus Knowlton ................................................. -. . . . . . . . . 341 

352 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE XC 

5 

6 

FLORA OF THE FRU ITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
U. S. GEOLOGICAL SURVEY PROFESSIONAL PAPER 98 PLATE XCI 

4 

1 

6 

7 

3 

FLORA OF THE FRUITLAND AND KIRTLAND FORMATIONS. 
PLATE XCI. 

FIGURE 1. Unassigned plant (b) ..... : ........................ . .......................................... . 

2. Phyllites neomexicanus Knowlton .......... ... ..... _ . .... _ ... _ .......... __ .. _ .. .... __ .. _ ....... . 

3. Phyllites petiolatus Knowlton .............. _ ... _ ... .. .... __ ..... _ ...... ___ ..................... . 

4. Unassigned plant (a) ................ _ ............... _ ...... _ ... __ .. _ ... _ ... __ . _________ ...... . 

5. Same specimen, X2!--..... _ ...... _. _. __ ... _ . . _____ . ______ ________________ .. ___ . ___ ............ . 

6. Unassigned plant (a) ... __ .. _ ... ___ . __ . ___________ . ___ .. __ ._ .. _ .. _______ .. _ .. _____ ............ . 

~: ~:::::~~~~~t7a~~~-----~ :~~- -·~::: :::::::::::::::::: ::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::::: 

9. Same specimen, X2~:- ........... _ ........ _. _. _. _ .. __ ________ ............................. .. --.. 

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