The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Vol. XLIX: April-October 1850Various
Science
The Edinburgh New Philosophical Journal, Vol. XLIX: April-October 1850
Various
Science -- Periodicals
"The predominance of Algæ and marine Monocotyledons, which must be
ascribed to the great extent of marine formations during this epoch.
"The existence of a great number of extra European forms, resulting
especially from the presence of the fossil fruits of Sheppey.
"2_d_, In regard to the Miocene epoch, the abundance of palms in the
greater number of localities belonging, without doubt, to this epoch;
the existence of a considerable number of non-European forms, in
particular of the genus _Steinhauera_, which appears to me to be a
rubiaceæ allied to _nauclea_, found in many localities of these
formations.
"3_d_, In regard to the Pliocene epoch, the great predominance and
variety of Dicotyledons, the rarity of Monocotyledons, and, above all,
the absence of Palms; lastly, the general analogy of the forms of
these plants with those of the temperate regions of Europe, North
America, and Japan.
"A remarkable character of the Floras of these three epochs, but which
is most striking in regard to the last, in which the dicotyledonous
plants are most numerous, is the absence of the most numerous and
characteristic families of the division of Gamopetalis. Thus, among
the numerous impressions of Partschlug, OEningen, Hoerring, Radoboj,
&c., there is nothing to indicate the existence of the Compositæ,
Campanulaceæ, Personneæ, Labiaceæ, Solaniæ, Boraginaæ, &c.
"The only Monopetales mentioned in great numbers are the Ericaceæ,
Ilicineæ, some Sapotaceæ, and Styraceæ, families which belong almost
as much to the Dialypetales as to the Gamopetales.
"In the Miocene flora only have been pointed out many Apocyneæ, and
Rubiaceæ, which I have mentioned above.
"1. _Eocene Epoch._--This epoch, in the most precise limits,
comprehends plastic clay with its lignites, the coarse Parisian
limestone and gypsum which lie above it in the same basin; but I have
not thought it worth while, in the meantime, to separate from it some
formations which, according to the investigations of modern
geologists, are placed between the Cretaceous formations and the
inferior parts of the formations mentioned; such are the Nummulitic
formations of the Vicentin, comprehending the celebrated locality of
Monte-Bolca, and probably some others near it, such as Salcedo, in the
Vicentin. I have likewise joined to this Flora of the Eocene
formations a very remarkable locality of the basin of Paris, the
relations of which with the Tertiary beds are not yet perfectly
determined,--these are the beds of a species of ancient Travertin
which, near Sezanne, contain numerous fossil vegetables still
undescribed, and of which I shall here notice the most remarkable.
These plants have very peculiar remains, and belong probably to a
special Flora, unless the differences can be ascribed to a diversity
of station.
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