These fossils came to us from the Launceston Tertiary
Basin formations at Harland's Rise, Evandale. I regard
them as being intercalates derived from the Mesozoic Strata,
but the evidence is not absolutely conclusive. All have
suffered exceedingly rough usage from natural forces, and
are completely pseudomorphed to iron oxide. The latter
fact is a depressing one, as it removes all chance of microscopical
details being available for determinative purposes.
The material at hand is not restricted to a few stems, and
other fragments of the apical outgrowths, but the really
goDd specimens are in the minority, and no single specimen
is complete enough to serve the desideratum of description,
or as a holotype for taxonomic purposes.
In the hope that some histological details had escaped
the mutations of time and circumstance an enormous
amount of microscopical work was done on selected fragments,
and a set of the clays, sandstones, and ferric concretions
was passed in optical review. This work, although
abortive as to the main object, supplied much data respecting
the effect of ferric infiltration into the organic bodies, and
the range of external concretion. The personal standard
thus acquired proved of inestimable value during the course
of the work, and helped me over many of the difficulties incidental
to the highly pseudomorphed condition of the fossils.
The macroscopic outlines of all woody structures are well
preserved, but the finer miaoscopical details are only now
and again glimpsed, and could not be photographicaHy reproduced.
These are Museum specimens for which I desire the
scientific status essential for exhibition pur,poses, and
failing aid from palaeobotanists, I am placing them on record
for the object named, and without any desire to poach upon
the preserves of other scientific workers
