Bulletin 3. The flora of the Raritan Formation, 1911 - State of New ...

RANALES,
I4I
from the midrib at or near the base, as they do in a majority
of the Raritan forms, or their point of divergence may be a
considerable distance abbve the base, as itt m,oderrr Sassafras
leaves. Their angle of divergence from the midrib varies from
about 3°° to 4o °. The secondaries are usually numerous, regular,
eamptodrome, and connected by transverse tertiaries, although in
the Raritan leaves this uniformity is often lacking. Petiole, stout
and long. The marginal vein along the sinus, a marked feature
in modern leaves of this genus, is generally wanting in this
species, although present in occasional specimens.
This species is apparently widely distributed and almost as
variable as the modern Sassafras. Described originally from the
Dakota Group as a variety of Sassafras mudgei, it occurs, also,
oN Marthas Vineyard and Long Island and in the Magothy
formation of New Jersey and Delaware. It has been recorded
from Cerro Guido, Argentina, and Velenovsky identifies somewhat
doubtful remains from the Cenomanian of Bohemia as
this species. Probable Sassafras fruit has been found in the
same strata with S. acuiilobu,_ _, tm!ding to show that it i_a true
Sassafras, notwithstanding its dissimilarities; however, this
is not certain, as the leaves and frttit were not found associated.
Lesquereux's smallest figure o_ S, acu.tiloNam is considerably
smaller, with the lobes directed upward, and is probably a young
leaf of his larger form. His other figure approaches some of
the leaves which Newberry refers to this species, but has narrower
and more produced lobes.
There is considerable doubt as to whether or not the Coastal
Plain leaves are generically related to Sassafras. Whether the
Dakota group forms are those of Sassafras it is not easy to
decide. No modem Sassafras leaves have the primaries and
the lateral lobes so nearly horizontM ; the secondaries are no_
so uniformily reg_dar, nor do they curve.upward to join the
next above at a point. In, the'modern leaf an outwardly and
downwardly directed branch from the latter is emphasized.
There is never such an open sinus, amounting as it does to
_Lesquereux, _. Dakota Group, p, 23o.
I0 PAL
NEW JERSEY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY