Cupressinocladus Seward

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002617

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2617

Author: A. C. Seward

Rank: genus

Reference: Seward, A. C. (1919): Fossil Plants. A text-book for students of botany and geology. Volume IV: Ginkgoales, Coniferales, Gnetales. Cambridge University Press: xvi + 543 pp..

Page of description: 303

Original diagnosis/description

Goeppert's term Cupressites[3] is retained for fossils which there is reason for associating with Cupressus and should not be employed in a wider sense. Bowerbank[1] adopted the form Cupressinites for some fossil cones from the London Clay in order to avoid the implication of affinity only to Cupressus which is suggested by Cupressites. This generic name would be convenient for Cupressineous branches had it not been restricted in the first instance to cones : to avoid the revival of a term and its employment in a new sense it is proposed to adopt the name Cupressinocladus for vegetative shoots agreeing in the habit of branching and in the predominance of a decussate arrangement of appressed leaves with recent Cupressineae such as Cupressus, Thuya, Libocedrus and similar types. When cones are present which throw any light on generic affinity some other term should be adopted. It will, however, be found in practice that the choice of the most appropriate name is exceedingly difficult; and no sharp line can be drawn between certain specimens which conform in part to Cupressinocladus and in part to the characters of Brachyphyllum.