Cunoniaceae in the Cretaceous of Europe: Evidence from Fossil Flowers |
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| Authors: | Schonenberger Jurg; Friis Else Marie; Matthews Merran L; Endress Peter K |
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| Institution: | Department of Palaeobotany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Box 50007, SE-104 05, Stockholm, Sweden Institute of Systematic Botany, University of Zurich, Zollikerstr. 107, CH-8008, Zurich, Switzerland |
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| Abstract: | Fossil flowers of the Cunoniaceae from Late Cretaceous sedimentsof southern Sweden are described in detail. The flowers aresmall, bisexual, actinomorphic, tetramerous with broadly attachedvalvate sepals; they have narrowly attached petals; eight stamensin two whorls; a massive, lobed nectary; a semi-inferior, syncarpousgynoecium with axile placentation; numerous ovules; separatestyles; and peltate, probably secretory, trichomes. They sharemany features with extant representatives of both the Cunoniaceaeand Anisophylleaceae. However, the gynoecium structure in particularindicates a closer relationship to the Cunoniaceae. The floralcharacters are not specific for any extant genus of the familyand therefore a new genus and species, Platydiscus peltatusgen. et sp. nov., is formally described. This is the first recordof cunoniaceous floral structures from the Northern Hemisphereand the oldest record of Cunoniaceae flowers worldwide. Copyright2001 Annals of Botany Company Anisophylleaceae, Cunoniaceae, fossil flowers, Late Cretaceous, Oxalidales, Platydiscus peltatus gen. et sp. nov., Santonian-Campanian, southern Sweden |
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