Fossil Flora of the John Day Basin, Oregon, and to Request Its Publication As a Bulletin of the Survey
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Bulletin No. 204 Series 0, Systematic Geology and Paleontology, 58 DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY CHARLES D. WALCOTT, DIRECTOR FOSSIL FLORA JOHN DAT BASIN OREGON" BY FRANK MALL KNOWLTON WASHINGTON GOVERNMENT P 11 IN TING OFFICE 1002 CONTENTS. Page. Letter of transrnittal...................................................... 7 Introduction............................................................. 9 Geographic location and topographic features .............................. 10 History of exploration in the John Day Basin.............................. 11 Geological features of the John Day Basin ................................. 14 History of geological investigation in the region ........................ 14 Pre-Cretaceous rocks ................................................. 16 Knoxville and Chico beds ............................................ 17 Clarno formation..................................................... 17 John Day series...................................................... 18 Columbia Elver lava ................................................. 19 Mascall formation .................................................... 19 Kattlesnake formation...'............................................. 19 River terraces......................................................... 20 Localities for fossil plants in the John Day Basin........................... 20 Systematic description of species........................................... 21 Species excluded from this work .......................................... 87 List of synonyms......................................................... 88 Discussion of the flora.................................................... 89 Statistical view.. .^................................................... 89 Table showing distribution of species............................... 89 Biological considerations.............................................. 93 Geological considerations............................................. 102 Lower Clarno beds ............................................... 102 Cherry Creek................................................ 102 Table showing extralimital distribution of fossil plants from Cherry Creek locality .................................. 103 Upper Clarno beds ............................................... 103 Bridge Creek ................................................ 103 Table showing extralimital distribution of fossil plants from Bridge Creek locality................................... 104 Other localities .............................................. 105 Mascall beds..................................................... 106 Van Horn's ranch and vicinity................................ 106 Table showing extralimital distribution of fossil plants from Van Horn's ranch and vicinity.......................... 109 The flora of the John Day Basin in other localities ......................... 109 The Dalles, Oregon................................................... 112 Summary................................................................ 112 Plates ...................................-...--....-....-...._.......... 115 Index................................................................... 151 oo ILLUSTRATIONS. PLATE I. Fig. 1, Equisetum sp.; fig. 2, Sequoia sp.; fig. 3, Thuites sp.; fig. 4, Taxodium, male aments; fig. 5, Ginkgo sp.; fig. 6, Tax odium, male aments; figs. 7, 8, Monocotyledonous plant; fig. 9, Cype- racites sp..................................................... 118 II. Fig. 1, PopulnsLindgreni Knowltoii; figs. 2-4, Salix pseudo-argentea n. sp.; figs. 5-8, Salix perplexa n. sp.; figs. 9, 10, Salix dayana n. sp.; figs. 11, 12, Salix rnixta n. sp........................... 120 III. Fig. 1, Salix sp.; fig. 2, Myrica personata n. sp.; fig. 3, Juglans? Bendirei n. sp.; fig. 4, Myrica oregoniana n. sp.; fig. 5, Juglans actiminata Al. Br.; figs. 6, 7, Betula heteromorpha n. sp ........ 122 IV. Fig. 1, Alnus macrodontan. sp.; fig. 2, Betula Bendirei n. sp.; fig. 3, Juglans crassifolia n. sp.; fig. 4, Betula dayana n. sp............ 124 V. Fig. 1, Betula heteromorpha n. sp.; fig. 2, Hicoria sp.; figs. 3, 4, Hicoria? oregoniana n. sp...................................... 126 VI. Fig. 1. Quercus dayana n. sp.; figs. 2, 3, Quercus oregoniana n. sp.; figs. 4, 5, Jnglans cryptatan. sp.; figs. 6, 7, QuercusMerriami n. sp. 128 VII. Fig. 1, Quercus oregoniana n. sp.; figs. 2, 3, Quercus nrsina n. sp.; figs. 4, 5, Quercus Merriarui n. sp .............................. 130 VIII. Fig. 1, Quercus horniana Lesq.; fig. 2, Quercus duriuscula n. sp.; fig. 3, Quercus? sp.; fig. 4, Quercus? sp ......................... 132 IX. Fig. 1, Liquidambar pachyphyllurn n. sp.; figs. 2, 3, Laurus ore goniana n. sp.; fig. 4, Ulmus Newberryi n. sp.; fig. 5, Sapindus Merriami n. sp.; figs. 6,7, Hydrangea Bendirei (Ward) Kuowlton. 134 X. Fig. 1, Crategus flavescens Newb.; fig. 2, Cratsegus imparilis n. sp.; fig. 3, Ficus? oregoniana Lesq.; fig. 4, Cinnamomum Bendirei n. sp.; fig. 5, Liquidambar europajum patulum n. var............ 136 XL Fig. 1, Berberis? gigantea n. sp.; figs. 2, 3, 6, 7, Prunus? Merriami n.'sp.; fig. 4, Prunus? tufacea n. sp.; fig. 5, Celastrus dignatus n. -sp......................................................... 138 XII. Figs. 1-3, Celastrus confluens n. sp.; fig. 4, Liquidambar sp.?...... 140 XIII. Figs. 1, 2, Acer sp.; fig. 3, Acer Osmonti n. sp.; fig. 4, Acer macro- phyllum Pursh (living); figs. 5-8, Acer oregonianum n. sp....... 142 XIV. Fig. 1, Acer gigas n. sp.; figs. 2, 3, Acer minor n. sp.; figs. 4, 5, Acer medianum n. sp.; fig. 6, Rhus? sp.; fig. 7, Acer Merriami n. sp.. 144 XV. Figs. 1, 2, ^Esculus simulata n. sp.; fig. 3, Sapindus oregonianua n. sp.; fig. 4, Aralia sp.? .......................................... 146 XVI. Fig. 1, Phyllites oregonianus n. sp.; fig. 2, Phyllites bifurcies n. sp.; fig. 3, Andromeda crassa Lesq.; fig. 4, Phyllites personatus n. sp.; fig. 5, Diospyros elliptica n. sp.; fig. 6, Phyllites inexpectans n. sp.; fig. 7, Rulac crateegifolium n. sp.; fig. 8, Aralia? sp ... 1... 148 XVII. Phyllites sp .................................................... 150 5 LETTER OF TRANSMITTAL. DEPARTMENT OF THE INTERIOR, UNITED STATES GEOLOGICAL SURVEY, Washington, Z>. C., July 15, 1902. SIR: I have the honor to transmit herewith the manuscript and illustrations of a paper entitled Fossil Flora of the John Day Basin, Oregon, and to request its publication as a bulletin of the Survey. Very respectfully, F. H. KNOWLTON, Paleontologist. Hon. CHARLES D. WALCOTT, Director United States Geological Survey. 7 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE JOHN DAY BASIN, OREGON. Bv F. H. KNOWLTON. INTRODUCTION. For a number of years 1 have been gradually accumulating1 material for a thorough revision of the Tertiary floras of the Pacific slope. Fossil plants are known to occur at numerous points within this area, and their study and identification has already furnished valuable data bearing on the geological history of the region, and when still further exploited it is confidently expected that they will afford more exact data for the use of geologists. This investigation is progressing satisfactorily, and at no distant day it is hoped to have it in form for final publication. From time to time various members of the United States Geological Survey, as well as others not connected with this organization, have sent in small collections of fossil plants for determination. These have been studied and reported upon as fully as the condition of the problem permitted, so that the determinations could be immediately available to geologists, but with the reservation that none of the ques tions could be fully settled until all known material had been studied and properly correlated. The rich fossil plant deposits in the John Day Basin, as set forth more fully in the historical account which follows, have been known for a period of nearty fifty years, but their study has been carried on in a more or less desultory manner. There has also been considerable confusion as to the horizons whence these plants came. As various species of plants described originally from the John Day region were detected in various other localities in Oregon, and in surrounding areas, as central Washington, western Idaho, and northern California, it became more than ever apparent that a thorough study of all material obtainable from this type area would be necessary before any definite or satisfactory conclusions could be reached. The immediate incentive for this revision was furnished by the receipt of a considerable collection of plants, made by Dr. John C. Merriam in 1900 while he was in charge of an expedition into this region made under the auspices of the University of California. 9 10 FOSSIL FLORA OF THE JOHN DAY BASlK, OREGON. LBULL. 20i When these plants were submitted to me for study, it was thought possible to present their description, together with a revision of our knowledge of the previously known forms, within a space sufficiently small to permit the publication of the matter as an appendix to a paper on the general geology of the area, then in preparation by Dr. Merriam. But it soon became apparent that this could not be adequately done within the space available, and a short preliminary report was prepared for and published by Dr. Merriam/' The results of a complete restudy of all available fossil plant material from the John Day Basin are now presented. 1 wish to record my great indebtedness to Dr. Merriam, who not only accompanied me at a considerable