Normapolles flowers of fagalean affinity from the Late Cretaceous of Portugal |
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Authors: | J Schönenberger K Raunsgaard Pedersen E M Friis |
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Institution: | (1) Department of Palaeobotany, Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden, SE;(2) Department of Geology, University of Aarhus, Aarhus C, Denmark, DK |
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Abstract: | Exquisitely preserved, charcoalified fossil flowers with in situ pollen of the Normapolles-type from the Late Cretaceous
of Portugal are described and a new genus and species of Fagales, Normanthus miraensis, are established. Floral organization and structure of floral organs were studied with scanning electron microscopy and microtome
sections. Flowers are actinomorphic, epigynous, and pentamerous; the perianth is simple; stamens alternate with tepals; pollen
is oblate and vestibulate; the exine is thick and the tectum is scabrate-microgranulate; the gynoecium is bicarpellate and
unilocular; the fruits are probably one-seeded. Comparisons with extant taxa demonstrate that N. miraensis shares many similarities with Fagales and in particular with Betulaceae. However, it is not identical with any extant taxon
and cannot be included in any extant family. The combination of characters found in the fossil flowers is congruent with wind-pollination
syndromes present in many extant angiosperms and clearly indicates wind-pollination of N. miraensis.
Received June 13, 2000 Accepted September 28, 2000 |
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Keywords: | : Angiosperms Campanian-Maastrichtian Fagales floral morphology Late Cretaceous Normanthus miraensis Normapolles Portugal |
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