The diversity and paleoenvironmental significance of Calophyllum (Clusiaceae) from the Miocene of southeastern China

Abstract

Three species within the genus Calophyllum collected from middle Miocene Fotan Group sediments in Zhangpu County, Fujian, southeastern China are described in this paper. These fossils include Calophyllum zhangpuensis sp. nov., Calophyllum striatum, and Calophyllum suraikholaensis. The new fossil species C. zhangpuensis sp. nov. is oval, possesses entire leaves with closely spaced parallel secondary veins and has a round, or slightly retuse, apex. These specimens represent the first known fossil records of this relative wide leaf-type form of Calophyllum from China and have a length:width (L:W) ratio less than 3:1. In combination with the known modern geographic distribution and habitats of this wide leaf-type Calophyllum and other plants, data suggest that the middle Miocene Fotan flora is indicative of a warm climate. Thus, based on available fossil data, we speculate that this genus probably originated in India during the Paleocene before spreading from India to Bangladesh and into China, Sumatra, Malaysia, Indonesia, and Java during the Neogene, leading to its modern distribution. At least, the 3 fossil species in this region can explain floristic exchange between India, Fujian, and South China, which is consistent with previous studies; the occurrence of these 3 species indicates that Calophyllum began to diversity in China no later than the Miocene.