LIQUIDAMBAR EUROPÆUM Al. Br.
LIQUIDAMBAR EUROPÆUM Al. Br. Newberry, Later Extinct
Floras, p. 100, Pl. XLVII, figs. 13, 1898 (1899).
As Newberry well says (op. cit. p. 101), this species
is hardly to be distinguished from large leaves of Lesquereux's
Liquidambar californicum, from the Auriferous gravel of
California. But it appears that the large form is rare among the
Auriferous gravel examples, most of them being much smaller and only
three lobed. It therefore seems best to keep them apart for the present,
although they are undoubtedly close. Its identity with the European form
is also a matter for future settlement.
Locality.Bridge Creek, Grant County,
Oregon. Collected by Rev. Thomas Condon (U. S. Nat. Mus., Nos. 7094,
7095, 7096).
LIQUIDAMBAR EUROPÆUM PATULUM, n. var.
Pl. X, fig. 5.
Liquidambar europum Al. Br. Lesquereux,
Proc. U. S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p, 14, 1888.
This specimen, the only one thus far found at this
locality, was referred by Lesquereux, without comment, to L.
europum. It is a well-known fact that this is a very variable
species, which more than likely covers several distinct forms, but the
leaf under consideration differs markedly from any that I have seen
figured in European books. It is distinctly different from the large
five- to seven-lobed leaves found at Bridge Creek, nor is it the same as
Lesquereux's L. californicum, from the Auriferous gravels. I have
therefore ventured to give it subspecific rank under the name of L.
europum patulum. It may be described as follows: Leaf coriaceous
in texture, three-lobed and much broader than long; central lobe
obtusely elliptical; lateral lobes lanceolate-acuminate, nearly at right
angles to the central lobe; margin finely and sharply serrate
throughout.
The width of this leaf is about 14 cm. and the length
only about 8 cm. The central lobe is about 4 cm. broad and the same in
length, while the lateral lobes are but little more than 2.5 cm.
broad.
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., No.
8544).
LIQUIDAMBAR PROTENSUM ? Unger.
LIQUIDAMBAR PROTENSUM ? Unger. Lesquereux, Proc. U.
S. Nat. Mus., Vol. XI, p. 13, Pl. VIII, fig. 3, 1888.
I regard this identification as extremely doubtful.
The specimen lacks practically all of the margin, and other of its
characters have been distorted. As Lesquereux suggests (op. cit., p.
13), this leaf has a striking resemblance to his Acer dimorphum,
but the specimen is not sufficiently perfect to warrant the assertion
that it represents a leaf of that species.
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., No.
2504).
LIQUIDAMBAR PACHYPHYLLUM, n. sp.
Pl. IX, fig. l.
Leaf of small size, very thick in texture,
five-lobed, the lobes short, ovate, or ovate-lanceolate, acute; margin
serrate throughout, the teeth rather large, upward pointing; ribs
arising just inside the lower mar gin of the blade, very strong, passing
to the apices of the lobes; secondary branches numerous, alternate,
often irregular, camptodrome, arching near the margin; nervilles very
irregular, producing a coarse, heavy network.
The single broken example figured is all that was
found in the collections. It was clearly live-lobed, but only the two
lower and a part of one middle lobe is preserved. The total length
appears to have been between 5 and 6 cm., or possibly a little more. The
width between the two lower lobes is 5.5 cm.
This species had evidently a very thick, pulpy leaf,
and the nervation is especially strong, particularly the ribs and
nervilles.
Leaves of this genus appear to be rare in the Mascall
beds, and the leaf under consideration is wholly unlike any before
detected. The leaves referred to L. europum patulum and L.
protensum are thin, being like the living species in texture,
whereas ours is clearly a thick leaf with a strong nervation. It is also
unlike L. californicum, from the Auriferous gravels.
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., No. 8534).
LIQUIDAMBAR sp. ?
Pl. XII, fig. 4.
The collection contains one leaf that apparently
belongs to Liquidambar, but it is much broken, and does not show all the
characters. This example, shown in Pl. XII, fig. 4, is a large leaf,
five or possibly seven lobed, the lower lobes being at right angles with
the midrib, producing a novel truncate base. The width between these two
lobes is nearly 14 cm. The margin of the lobes is provided with numerous
fine teeth. The nervation is well marked, consisting of about five
strong ribs, which radiate from the top of the petiole and presumably
end in the tips of the lobes. Each is provided with numerous secondary
branches, and from the larger size of some it is presumed that they
supplied lateral lobes. The finer nervation is that of Liquidambar.
Locality.White hill one-half mile east
of original Van Horn's ranch locality. Collected by Knowlton and
Merriam, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 8545).