A NEW SPECIES OF PICEA BASED ON SILICIFIED SEED CONES FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WASHINGTON

Picea eichhornii n. sp. is described from anatomically preserved seed cones. The fossils are from the Early Oligocene Jansen Creek Member of the Makah Fm. which is exposed along the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula, Washington. The cones are at least 5.5 cm long and up to 3.5 cm in diameter. The cone axis is 4–6 mm in diameter and contains a pith made up of thick-walled parenchyma cells. Resin canals occur in a single ring in the secondary xylem in some specimens but are absent in others. The cortex is mostly parenchymatous and contains numerous large axial resin canals that branch to supply the bract and scale. Vascular traces to each scale and its subtending bract diverge separately from the vascular cylinder of the cone axis. The bract is tongue-shaped and keeled at its base. It is 5 mm wide and up to 9 mm long. The bract trace fades out before entering the bract base while two resin canals extend into the bract base. The ovuliferous scale is about 2.3 cm long and has a thin, probably papery, apex. Resin canals of the scale occur abaxial to the vascular tissue in the scale base, but some bend around the margins of the vascular strand to become adaxial outward. About 20 resin canals occur in the abaxial scale sclerenchyma, and this is the main anatomical feature that distinguishes these cones as a new species. There are less than 14 such canals in cones in a reference collection of 15 modern species and in the two fossil species known from anatomically preserved material. While the new species adds to our knowledge of the diversity of Cenozoic Picea, its affinities within the genus remain undetermined.     

PINUS BUCHANANII,A NEW SPECIES BASED ON A PETRIFIED CONE FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WASHINGTON

A silicified seed cone of Oligocene age from the Olympic Peninsula of Washington represents a new species of Pinus. The cone was about 8 cm long and 3 cm at its widest diameter in the living condition. Its scale apices are thickened and each has a dorsal umbo. Internal cone construction confirms the assignment of the new species to Pinus and suggests affinity with the subsections Australes and Ponderosae of the section Pinus, subgenus Pinus. The cone is peculiar in having a stout bract trace that is slightly concave on its adaxial side and in having resin canals that diverge from the axial secretory system toward the bract but constrict markedly and terminate before entering the bract.     

NEW TAXODIACEOUS SEED CONES FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF NEW JERSEY

Nephrostrobus cliffwoodensis gen. et sp. nov., Nephrostrobus bifurcatus sp. nov., and Rhombostrobus cliffwoodensis gen. et sp. nov. are described based on anatomical studies of seed cone fragments from the Upper Cretaceous Magothy Formation of New Jersey. These species belong to the Taxodiaceae. As in Sequoia, Sequoiadendron. and Metasequoia, the vascular strands supplying the scale and bract in Nephrostrobus are about equal. These vascular strands are arranged in a reniform pattern resembling that found in Metasequoia, but the orientation differs by 180 degress. Nephrostrobus cliffwoodensis and Nephrostrobus bifurcatus differ from each other in the branching of the complex trace and associated resin canals. Rhombostrobus cliffwoodensis resembles Cunninghamia in the arrangement of vascular strands and associated resin canals in its bract-scale complexes. However, the relative amount of bract and ovuliferous scale making up the complex is more like that in Sequoia. This combination of cone features does not occur in any of the extant genera. Nephrostrobus and Rhombostrobus are not considered to be ancestral to any of the extant taxodiaceous genera, but are extinct members of an ancestral complex from which the extant genera were derived.     

PINUS WOLFEI,A NEW PETRIFIED CONE FROM THE EOCENE OF WASHINGTON

A silicified cone from the Late Eocene of Washington is described as a new fossil species of Pinus. The cone was probably 9–10 cm long and 3–5 cm at its widest diam in the living condition and is peculiar in having abundant resin canals in the secondary xylem of the axis arranged in three concentric rings near the cone base. The bract of the fossil is also unusual in having resin canals of distinctly unequal sizes and a vascular strand that is adaxially concave. In the absence of external features of the scale tips, these anatomical conditions along with the construction of the outer cortex of the axis of thick-walled cells suggest closest affinity of the new species with the subsections Contortae, Oocarpae, and Sylvestres of the section Pinus, subgenus Pinus.     

A NEW SCIADOPITYACEOUS SEED CONE FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF HOKKAIDO,JAPAN

A sciadopityaceous seed cone, Sciadopityostrobus kerae, gen. et sp. nov., is described on the basis of a permineralized specimen from the Upper Cretaceous (Cenomanian–Coniacian) of Hokkaido, Japan. The peel method was applied for anatomical observations. The seed cone consists of a cone axis receiving numerous cone scale complexes that are arranged helically. Each complex generally has five inverted ovules that are oriented adaxially. The cone is similar to those of living Sciadopitys verticillata with respect to its peltate cone scale complex, with free apices of both bract and ovuliferous scale, trichomes on the bract, and a trifurcated ovuliferous scale strand. In the fossil, the bract and ovuliferous scale strands fuse with each other in the basal part of the cone scale complex, while S. verticillata bract and ovuliferous scale strands are derived separately from the vascular cylinder and remain separate throughout their length. The present specimen is one of the oldest records of structurally preserved cones that can be assigned to the family Sciadopityaceae.     

STEMS AND LEAVES OF CUNNINGHAMIOSTROBUS GOEDERTII FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WASHINGTON

This report is based on nine specimens of fossil conifer stems and leaves from the Early Oligocene Jansen Creek Member of the Makah Formation. They were collected along the northern shore of the Olympic Peninsula of Washington. The fossils are preserved as siliceous permineralizations and were exposed in surface view along rock fractures. Details of leaf morphology and epidermal construction appear on fracture surfaces of certain specimens while the cellular construction of the leaves and twigs is visible in thin sections. Leaves are dorsiventrally flattened, attached to twigs that contain up to four growth increments of secondary xylem, up to 2.3 cm long, 3.5 mm wide, and have parallel margins with minute teeth. The leaves are about 0.5 mm thick and have a central vascular strand surrounded by transfusion tissue. A large resin canal occurs abaxial to the vascular strand, and generally two additional resin canals occur in the mesophyll near each leaf margin. Leaves are mostly hypostomatic, with sunken stomata in two longitudinal bands, one to each side of the midline of the leaf and each containing eight to 13 longitudinal rows of stomata. Several unusual anatomical features in the stems also occur in the peduncle and cone axis of seed cones described as Cunninghamiostrobus goedertii, which occurs at the same locality. Thus, the leafy twigs belong to the same species as produced the cones. The cones, leaves, and shoots of this Tertiary conifer are similar to those of modern Cunninghamia but differ from the living species in several respects.     

PETRIFIED CONES AND NEEDLE-BEARING TWIGS OF A NEW TAXODIACEOUS CONIFER FROM THE EARLY CRETACEOUS OF CALIFORNIA

Ovulate cones identified as Abietites ellipticus Fontaine, from the Early Cretaceous of northern California, have been reinvestigated. Rather than being preserved as imprints as originally described, the fossils are petrified. Two cones are attached to needle-bearing twigs. The organs are similar to those of the living Cunninghamia lanceolata. However, the scale portion of the bract-scale complex of the fossil cones is situated close to the bract apex, while that in modern Cunninghamia cones is midway between the bract base and apex. This plus other structural differences warrant treatment of the material as a new species of Cunninghamiostrobus Stopes and Fujii.     

A NEW GENERALIZED PAUCITUBERCULATAN MARSUPIAL FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF BOLIVIA AND THE ORIGIN OF 'SHREW-LIKE' OPOSSUMS

Abstract:  Insights into the origin of 'shrew-like' oposssums of South America are gained thanks to a new fossil from the Oligocene Salla Beds in Bolivia. The specimen described here consists of a partial rostrum, palate and postcanine teeth, and shows several generalized features (cranial and dental) in the context of the Paucituberculata. On this basis we recognize Evolestes hadrommatos gen. et sp. nov. In order to evaluate the affinities of the new taxon, we performed a phylogenetic analysis including representatives of the Caenolestidae, Pichipilus and allies (not regarded here as caenolestids), Palaeothentidae, and Abderitidae, with three outgroups. Evolestes is the basalmost 'caenolestoid', and provides clues to the morphological changes involved in the origin of caenolestids.     

PINUS AVONENSIS,A NEW SPECIES OF PETRIFIED CONES FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WESTERN MONTANA

Fossils from the Oligocene of western Montana described in this treatment are the first structurally preserved ovulate cones of Pinus to be reported from the Tertiary of North America. They are about 5.5 cm long and have a maximum diam of 2.5 cm. Numerous scales are arranged spirally around the axis and each scale bears two winged seeds. The bract subtending the ovuli-ferous scale is 3-4 mm long and is free from the scale throughout its length. The pith and cortex of the axis are constructed of thick-walled parenchyma cells and 18-21 resin canals occur at the inner edge of the cortex. Resin canals entering the base of the ovuliferous scale are restricted to the abaxial side with vascular tissues occupying the adaxial side. Vascular strands near the tip of the scale are strongly rounded on the adaxial or phloem side. At the abaxial side of the tip of the ovuliferous scale is a broadly rhomboidal apophysis with a raised umbo that terminates in a short spine. The fossils differ from the several Recent cones examined in having fewer resin canals and biseriate rays in the secondary xylem of the cone axis. The shape of the cone, its anatomical features, and the morphology of the tip of the cone scale indicate affinity with the subgenus Diploxylon.     

PICEA DIETTERTIANA,A NEW SPECIES OF PETRIFIED CONES FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF WESTERN MONTANA

Fossils described in this treatment are the first structurally-preserved ovulate cones of Picea to be reported from the Tertiary. They are 5.0-5.8 cm long and 1.6-1.8 cm at their widest diameter. Numerous ovuliferous scales are arranged spirally around the axis and each bore two winged seeds. The bract subtending the scale is 4.0-7.0 mm long and is fused to the scale for 1.0 mm. The base of the bract is inflated on the abaxial side extending for about 1.0 mm between the seeds of the adjacent scales. Both the scales and their subtending bracts are recurved at their point of divergence from the axis. The ovuliferous scales taper gradually to a point, and the thickness of the tissues at the scale apex indicates that they were woody. Anatomically, the silicified cones are very similar to those of the Recent species and indicate that all important features of the latter had evolved by Oligocene time.     

TAXODIACEOUS BARK FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF ALBERTA

The structure of a piece of silicified bark of Taxodioxylon gypsaceum from near Medicine Hat in Southern Alberta is described. The fossil specimen probably came from Upper Cretaceous beds. The fossil shows affinities with the bark of modern Sequoia. Vectia luccombensis Stopes (1915) from the Lower Greensand (Aptian) of England probably constitutes an isolated piece of taxodiaceous bark, similar to the inner bark of the Alberta specimen.     

PICEA WOLFEI,A NEW SPECIES OF PETRIFIED CONE FROM THE MIOCENE OF NORTHWESTERN NEVADA

Several silicified ovulate cones from the late middle Miocene (Barstovian) represent a new species, Picea wolfei Crabtree. This is the second species of Picea for which structurally preserved seed cones are known to be reported from the Tertiary. The cones are 5.0–8.0 cm long and 1.5–2.0 cm at their greatest diameter. Ovuliferous scales are inserted helically around the cone axis and are recurved at their point of divergence. Each scale is broadly obovate to spatulate with a rounded apex and bore two seeds adaxially. The bract subtending the scale is 4.5–7.3 mm long and is fused to the scale for 1.4–2.0 mm. Each bract has an inflated keel-like base which projects abaxially between the seeds of adjacent scales. The fossil cones superficially resemble those of the extant Picea breweriana, yet differ from them anatomically. The new species also resembles Picea lahontense, a fossil compression from the Miocene Trout Creek Flora of south-central Oregon, but the different modes of preservation preclude meaningful comparison. Picea diettertiana, the only structurally preserved fossil cone of this genus previously described, is quite dissimilar in that it lacks a sclerotic pith.     

INVESTIGATIONS OF TERTIARY ANGIOSPERMS: A NEW FLORA INCLUDING EOMIMOSOIDEA PLUMOSA FROM THE OLIGOCENE OF EASTERN TEXAS

A new fossil flower and inflorescence-bearing locality has been discovered in the Oligocene of the Texas Gulf Coast. The new flora is similar to the Middle Eocene Claiborne Flora of the southeastern USA, but the quality of preservation is sometimes better in the Oligocene fossils. One component of the new flora, a mimosoid legume inflorescence, appears identical with Eomimosoidea plumosa, first reported from the Claiborne Formation of western Tennessee. Investigations of these younger specimens indicate that the taxon had changed little during the Middle Eocene-Oligocene interval, and the better quality of preservation of the Texas specimens has provided further insights into the structure of the fossils. Comparisons of the fine structural details of the pollen of Eomimosoidea with similar pollen of extant mimosoids has confirmed that the fossil genus is indeed extinct and suggests that tetrahedral tetrads of columellate, tricolporate pollen grains are ancient, possibly primitive, in the Mimosoideae.     

OSMUNDA WEHRII,A NEW SPECIES BASED ON PETRIFIED RHIZOMES FROM THE MIOCENE OF WASHINGTON

Silicified rhizomes from Miocene strata near Yakima, Washington represent a new species of Osmunda. The stems are 8–13 mm in diameter and are surrounded by a thick sheath of adherent leaf bases, each of which shows stipular expansions typical of the Osmundaceae. The new species has an ectophloic siphonostele in which the xylem cylinder is dissected by leaf gaps with 12–14 strands being visible in a given stem cross section. Such sections also show 12–16 leaf traces in the cortex. The xylem of each leaf trace diverges from the xylem cylinder of the stem as an adaxially concave strand with its protoxylem organized into a single medial adaxial cluster. Initial bifurcation of the leaf-trace protexylem occurs as the leaf trace passes through the outer cortex of the stem. In the basal part of the stipular region of the petiole base, thick-walled fibers form an arch on the abaxial side of the sclerenchyma ring around the petiolar bundle. This arch persists throughout most of the length of the stipular region, with the thick-walled fibers becoming reorganized into two lateral masses in the distal part of the stipular region. Similar thick-walled fibers form an elongate strip of tissue in each wing of the stipule along with several small clusters scattered near the sclerenchyma ring. The new species belongs to the subgenus Osmunda and shows that during the Neogene, the latter existed as a group of closely related species much as it does today. Furthermore, Osmunda wehrii combines features of the modern O. regalis, O. japonica, and O. lancea with those of O. claytoniana and thus supports the inclusion of the latter species in the subgenus Osmunda.     

新疆准噶尔盆地北缘晚渐新世睡鼠化石的发现

在新疆准噶尔盆地北缘富蕴县境内乌伦古河北岸铁尔斯哈巴合北的原乌伦古河组中发现了中国境内迄今为止最早的睡鼠化石Ｇｌｉｒｕｌｕｓ　ｓｐ和Ｇｌｉｒｉｄａｅ ｇｅｎ－ｅｔ ｓｐ． ｉｎｄｅｔ。前者以三枚臼齿Ｍ２、Ｍ３和ｍｌ为代表,后者仅拥有一枚Ｐ４。依共生动物群的组成和性质其时代应为晚渐新世。     

内蒙古早渐新世查干布拉格哺乳动物群新材料

<正> 1975年,本文作者报道了曾属宁夏的阿拉善左旗素海图西北查干布拉格地区采集到一批早渐新世哺乳动物化石。俟后,1976年初,姜元吉、王保良和齐陶在“宁夏豪斯布尔都盆地早渐新世查干布拉组”一文中介绍了化石产地及附近地区下第三系发育的概况。本文将要报道的两种獏类化石是对上述动物群的颇有意义的补充。这些材料均采于1959年。现分述如下: