Lign. 67. Fossil Nuts, and Flower.
| Fig. | 1.— | Thalictroides Parisensis; Tertiary strata, Paris. |
| 2.— | Thalictroides Websteri. Isle of Wight. | |
| 3.— | Antholithes liliaceus. Monte Bolca. | |
| 4.— | Juglans nux-taurinensis: fossil Walnut, Turin. 4a.—-Portion of the husk of the shell. 4b.—The kernel, formed of calcareous spar. |
The most remarkable exception, is the single instance of a large leaf of a dicotyledonous plant in the Trias, or New Red sandstone, near Liverpool, described by Sir Roderick Murchison, which much resembles the foliage of a thick-ribbed Cabbage.[173]
[173] This fossil is named Dictyophyllum crassinervium, by Dr. Lindley, Foss. Flor. pl. cci. and is figured, Sil. Syst. p. 43.
It would be impossible, within the limits necessarily assigned to these volumes, to offer even a general view of the fossil remains of this grand class of vegetables; our remarks must be limited to a few interesting examples and localities.
When stems of dicotyledonous trees only are found, but little certainty can be obtained as to the family to which they belonged; the foliage of many well-known genera offer more positive characters; the flowers are rarely in a state of preservation to afford any valuable data; but the fruits, or seed-vessels, are frequently well preserved, and these may enable the botanist to arrive at precise determinations as to generic, and, perhaps, specific relations.
The tertiary marls of Aix, in Provence, which abound in insects, crustaceans, and lacustrine shells, contain many kinds of dicotyledonous leaves, associated with those of palms. (Wond. p. 260.)
The Lignite, or Brown-coal deposits, are almost entirely composed of dicotyledonous trees, belonging to many genera, which are inhabitants of Europe; namely, the Poplar, Willow, Elm, Chestnut, Walnut, Sycamore, Maple, Linden, Buckthorn, Vine, &c. (Bd. vol. i. pp. 508-514.)