Plant Fossils 25,000,000 Years Old Found

Wanganui Chronicle, Volume 83, Issue 37, 14 February 1939, Page 5

Plant Fossils 25,000,000 Years Old Found

NEW YORK—Discovery of 92 species of fossil plants never previously known to researchers, is reported to the Geological Society of America by Dr. Edward W. Berry, Professor of Paleontology at Johns Hopkins University. Dr. Berry made the finds in Patagonia, southern Argentina, and believes that they thrived in lower Miocene time, some 25,000,000 years ago, before being buried in beds of clay, partly composed of volcanic ash. The fossils consist of ferns, leaves and shrubs in addition to tree trunks. They were located near the Rio Pichileufu River in the western part of Rio Negro, one of the territorial subdivisions of Patagonia. Whole plants, twigs and scores of leaf specimens were carefully cut out of the clay beds and examined by Dr. Berry. Large fern plants, closely related to the giant ferns of North America, were unearthed. These were still encased in stone-like clay which had hardened after burial, when tremendous pressures from the earth and rocks above forced out the moisture. One such plant, named Lomatia ferruginea, had retained every petal on its fern-like twigs. Discussing the general characteristics of the entire group of specimens uncovered, Dr. Berry says: “Ono of the most striking features of this flora is its typically American character. Of the genera reppesented, 14 are typical of South America while 26 are confined to the Western Hemisphere and are nearly all equatorial American. These are essentially South American genera which have extended their range through the Antilles, or into Central America, or have even reached Florida. ’ ’ Dr. Berry reports it is almost impossible to determine the place from which these new species originated because facts concerning their geological history are lacking. He reviews, however, many theories which favour the Antarctic as a centre of dispersal for these and other species. He rejects the possibility that his Patagonian research yielded evidence to support . hypotheses of continental drift which suggest that Australia, New Zealand, South America and Africa originated from the same Antarctic land mass. Thick-Skinned A Negro who did odd jobs of hauling, used as motive power a gigantic mule of great age, profound deliberation and undaunted determination. “What’s the name of your mule?” someone asked the Negro. “ Dat mule am named Borough Council, suh,’’ he answered; “What on earth made you give him 3 name like that?” “Wai, suh, jes’ because dat am de best name fo’ a mule like him,” said the Negro. “Dat mule kin stan’ mo ; abuse an’ go right on habbin’ his own way dan any pusson yo’ eber see.”