The illustrations of this work are for the most part original; but some of them have previously appeared in special papers of the author.

J. W. D.

February, 1888.

CONTENTS.

PAGE
CHAPTER I.
Preliminary Ideas of Geological Chronology and of the Classification of Plants[1]
CHAPTER II.
Vegetation of the Laurentian and Early Paleozoic—Questions as to Algæ[8]
CHAPTER III.
The Erian or Devonian Forests—Origin of Petroleum—The Age of Acrogens and Gymnosperms[45]
CHAPTER IV.
The Carboniferous Flora—Culmination of the Acrogens—Formation of Coal[110]
CHAPTER V.
The Flora of the Early Mesozoic—Reign of Pines and Cycads[175]
CHAPTER VI.
The Reign of Angiosperms in the Later Cretaceous and Early Tertiary or Kainozoic[191]
CHAPTER VII.
Plants from the Tertiary to the Modern Period[219]
CHAPTER VIII.
General Laws of Origin and Migrations of Plants—Relations of Recent and Fossil Floras[237]
APPENDIX.
I.Comparative View of Paleozoic Floras[273]
II.Heer’s Latest Statements on the Greenland Flora[281]
III.Mineralisation of Fossil Plants[284]
IV.General Works on Palæobotany[286]

LIST OF ILLUSTRATIONS.

PAGE
Table of Chronology of Plants([Frontispiece.])
Protannularia Harknessii[21]
Nematophyton Logani (three Figures)[22], [23]
Trail of King-Crab[28]
Trail of Carboniferous Crustacean[28]
Rusichnites[29]
Palæophycus[30]
Astropolithon[31]
Carboniferous Rill-mark[33]
Cast of Shrinkage Cracks[34]
Cone-in-cone[36]
Buthotrephis[37]
Silurian Vegetation[40]
Erian Plants[49]
Protosalvinia[54]
Ptilophyton (two Figures)[62], [63]
Psilophyton (two Figures)[64], [66]
Sphenophyllum[65]
Lepidodendron[66]
Various Ferns[72], [73]
Archæopteris[74]
Caulopteris[75]
Megalopteris[76]
Calamites[77]
Asterophyllites[78]
Dadoxylon[79]
Cordaites[81]
Erian Fruits[82]
Foliage from the Coal-formation[111]
Sigillariæ (five Figures)[112]-[114]
Stigmariæ (two Figures)[115]
Vegetable Tissues[117]
Coals and Erect Trees (two Figures)[118], [119]
Lepidodendron[120]
Lepidophloios[121]
Asterophyllites, &c.[122]
Calamites (five Figures)[123]-[125]
Ferns of the Coal-formation (six Figures)[126]-[129]
Noeggerathia dispar[130]
Cordaites[131]
Fruits of Cordaites, &c.[132]
Conifers of the Coal-formation (four Species)[135]
Trigonocarpum[136]
Sternbergia[137]
Walchia imbricatula[138]
Foliage of the Jurassic Period[177]
Podozamites[178]
Salisburia[180]
Sequoia[181]
Populus primæva[191]
Stercalia and Laurophyllum[194]
Vegetation of the Cretaceous Period[195]
Platanus[198]
Protophyllum[199]
Magnolia[200]
Liriodendron (two Figures)[201]
Brasenia[207]
Gaylussaccia resinosa[228]
Populus balsamifera[229]
Fucus[230]