CELASTEUS DIGNATUS n. sp.
Pl. XI, fig. 5.
Leaves membranaceous, elliptical, or slightly
obovate-elliptical in shape, truncate, or very obtuse and somewhat
unequal-sided at base, truncate at apex; margin coarsely toothed, the
teeth obtuse, upward pointing; petiole short and thick; midrib thick;
secondaries about 10 pairs, alternate, at a low angle, craspedodrome,
passing to the marginal teeth; nervilles numerous, mainly unbroken, at
right angles to the secondaries; finer nervation, producing numerous
small, irregularly quadrangular meshes.
Several specimens represent this species, all being
of about the same size. They are in general elliptical-obovate, very
obtusely wedge-shaped or truncate at base and rounded at apex. They are
4 cm. in length and 3 to 3.5 cm. in width. The petiole, preserved in
only one example, is 5 mm. long and 2 mm. thick at the point of
attachment. The toothed margin and characteristic nervation are well
shown in the figures.
This species seems to have some affinity with
Celastrus inœqualis Knowlton a from the Fort Union beds
in the Yellowstone National Park. This differs, however, in being a much
larger leaf, toothed only above the lower third of the blade, the teeth
being also more obtuse. The general appearance of the two species,
however, is strikingly similar.
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. 8539).
a Mon. U.S. Geol. Surv., Pl. XCVIII, fig. 3.
CELASTRUS CONFLUENS, n. sp.
Pl. II, figs. 1—3.
Leaves membranaceous, elliptical in shape,
wedge-shaped and slightly unequal-sided at base, obtuse but not truncate
at apex; margin toothed, the teeth quite large, sharp pointed; midrib
strong; secondaries, about twelve pairs, mainly alternate, at an angle
of about 45° on one side of the blade and nearly a right angle on
the other, camptodrome, arching very near the margin or forking and
sending branches to the teeth; nervilles and finer nervation as in the
last species.
This form is represented by several quite perfect
leaves, which may possibly belong to the last species, but they are much
larger and are unaccompanied by examples of intermediate size, so that
it has seemed best to give them tentatively a new name. The best
preserved example, which is also the largest, is 9 cm. long and 5 cm.
wide. The smallest example was apparently about 8 cm. long and
is a little over 4 cm. wide.
Locality.—Mascall beds, Van Horn's ranch,
about 12 miles west of Mount Vernon, Grant County, Oregon. Collected by
Merriam and Knowlton, July, 1901 (U. S. Nat. Mus., No. 8578).
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