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

62 THE RARITAN FLORA.
PHYLUM THALLOPHYTA
Class FUNGI.
Order PYRFNOMYCFTI S.
Genus SPH_RITES Unger.
(Gen. et Sp.,' I85_ p. 37-)
SPg,_r_s
_A_TAN_CS_S sp. nov.
Descriptio_.--Viewed megascopically these remains appear as
oval or circular umbitieate clots from .2 5 rmn. to .5 into., in diameter,
with depressed margir_ and enlarged central portion, the
latter occupying two-thirds of the total diameter.
Found in abundance on the under side of leaf fragments (sp.
indet.) in the matted layers of fossil leaveg from the upper
Raritan at the Hylton Pits. Conclusively congeneric with the
forms t_sually referred to this genus and very similar to Sphcrites
problematicus (Knowlt.) Knowlt., from the Dakota Group of
Kansas. The latter is, however, more irregular in outline, larger
in size and infests StercuIia which is not the host of the Raritan
species. While remains of this sort are of little botanical interest
to some, they nevertheless have a considerable biological significance
in the evidence which they afford of the existence during
the Mid-Cretaceous of fungi of this order.
Occ_rrence.--_ylton Pits,
Collecdons.--Johns Hopkins University.
NEW JERSEY GEOLOGICAL SURVEY