Page:Popular Science Monthly Volume 76.djvu/606

602 In the groups of spore-bearing plants ordinarily found fossil, the spores are not known to have developed any particular devices for their wide dissemination, such as flotation in air, attachment to animals, etc. They are produced in vast quantities, and depend upon a few reaching situations favorable for successful germination. Their vitality is also of apparently exceedingly limited duration, and it is doubtful if they could long survive immersion in salt water.

The bearing of the above digression is apparent. Given a fossil flora made up of ferns or fern allies, exclusive of what are known to belong to the cycadofilices, and when such flora is found in two or more separated areas, we are justified, in my opinion, in arguing a practically continuous land connection. They were incapable of crossing very wide reaches of open water, particularly salt water. Fresh-water streams have been to some extent avenues of distribution, but many fossil floras—and living floras as well—are too widely spread to be explained by this means. When, as is usually the case, identical floras occupying different areas are mixed floras, the bearing on the means of reaching the various areas is more complicated. An example may better serve to bring this out. Thus, the Jurassic flora is practically world-wide in its distribution, ranging from Franz Josef Land, 82° N., to Louis Philippe Land, 63° S. It is composed of ferns, fern-allies, cycads and conifers, a large percentage being true ferns. The probability of a close land connection argued on the basis of the true ferns, has already been alluded to. The cycads—the Jurassic is called the age of cycads—were abundant in individuals and numerous in forms. On the basis of our knowledge of living types, it may be stated that cycad seeds germinate immediately on falling from the cone without any necessary resting period. They are not known to retain their vitality for a longer period than three years, and usually but two years. They sink promptly in fresh water and as the stony coat is easily penetrated by water, they either germinate or rot at once. In salt water they will probably sink and decay even more quickly. Therefore, the probability of their being transported for any great distance over open water is reduced to a minimum. The conifers of the Jurassic were reproduced by seeds. They belong to types not known to enjoy any special means for transportation, nor is it probable they could better withstand freshor salt-water immersion than the cycads. All classes of vegetation present in the Jurassic, therefore, argue for a practically continuous land connection.

In considering the bearing of any flora on the paleogeographic problem the process is similar to that outlined above. That is, an analysis of the composition of the flora, a study of the means of natural dissemination which includes duration of vitality, and finally a judgment as to its probable means or avenues of transportation, involving a land connection or otherwise.