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

226 THE RARITAN FLORA.
were collected. He seems disposed to attach considerable weight
to their resemblance to a helianthoid flower, and points out that
they differ from the typical Williamsonias in the apparent absence
of the internal seed-bearing cone. The nature of the remains
does not enable one to form a positive opinion, nevertheless
their resemblance to well-preserved Williamsonias which are
undoubtedly cycadean, lends more support to a theory of relationship
with the latter group of plants than with the essentially
modern Compositm. The increased interest in the Cycadales
called forth in recent years, has served to establish the cycadean
affinity of a number of species of Williamsonia, and structural
material has in a measure cleared up their morphology, so that
while this order of plants had commenced its final decline in Raritan
time, it must be remembered that it was exceedingly abundant
in the older Cretaceous deposits of Maryland and Virginia,
and remnants of cycad fronds are by no means uncommon in the
Raritan deposits.
Mauy supposed Williamsonias have been described, most of
those from Americat_ rocks being founded upon exceedingly imperfect
material. Perhaps the form most like the present species
is Williamso_2g ddaware*_ds Berry _ described from the Magothy
formation of Delaware. It may be questioned if the forms from
Marthas Vineyard which Hollick (loc. eft.) refers to William-
SO_liaproblematica are not more properly referable to WilliamsoJffa
delawarends, This is especially true of this author's figures
29 to 32, while figures .07 and 28 may be lateral views of the
compressed transverse views of the objects described as Williczmso**ia
Niesii, From nearly hon_otaxial horizons Williamsonia
elocate has been described by Lesquereux 2 from the
Dakota sandstone, and Williamao*_ia cretacea has been described
from the Atane beds of Greenland by Heer a. The Williamsonias
described by Ward from the older Cretaceous are all extremely
poor and of doubtful affinities, but Williamsonia virgi_ie*2sis described
by Fontaine from the older Potomac of Virginia, is
a Johns Hopkins Univ. Circulars, No. I99, 19o7, p. 84, /e 4.
Lesq., FI. Dakota Group, 87, pl. _,, _. 9, 9a, 1892.
_Heer, FI. Foss. Arct., vol. VI, ._bth. 2:59, pL re, f. z; pl. I3, f. 9, I882.
NEW JERSEY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY