| Abstract Detail
Paleobotanical Section Barone Lumaga, Maria Rosaria [1], Bravi, Sergio [2], Mickle, James [3]. A New Angiosperm Fructification from the Middle Albian of Southern Italy. A single specimen of a new fossil angiosperm has been recovered from limestones of the “plattenkalk” of the Middle Albian at Monti Alburni, near Petina, Campania, Italy. Associated fossils include Pagiophyllum sp., Podozamites sp. and Zamites sp. The angiosperm has a main axis with one attached leaf and a distal cyme bearing three fructifications. It is approximately 8 cm long, with the main axis uniformly 1.75 mm wide. Four cm from the base, underneath the main axis, there is a lobed structure, presumably a leaf. Axillary to one lateral appendage are two small, presumably young, leaves. One leaf is lobate and about 2 mm long. A partial lobed leaf similar to Vitiphyllum Fontaine is near the specimen but not connected. This leaf’s position suggests that it comes from the same plant. The leaf has an elongate petiole, obtuse base and on the right side of the lamina are three lobes with deep crescents. Primary venation is elongate; secondary venation indistinct. At the distal end of the axis a dichasium subtended by a 5 mm long axillary bract bears three fructifications, with a cymose appearance. The first fructification, born singly on a peduncle 1 cm long and 1 mm wide, is 1.1 cm long, and 0.6 cm wide and has three visible follicles with a maximum width of 3 mm partially fused in their basal two-thirds. About 1.5 mm from the receptacle are two linear, 2.5 mm long bract-like structures. The fruiting structure was cracked, exposing internal structures. Proximally there are two series of two – three 0.5 mm diameter rounded cavities, presumably showing positions of seeds. The other two fructifications are of similar size and display divided distal tips indicating three - four divisions. Affinities are uncertain but show similarities in overall morphology to basal eudicots, especially Ranunculaceae.
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1 - Università di Napoli Federico II, Orto Botanico, via Foria, 223, Napoli, 80139, Italy
2 - Università di Napoli Federico II, Dipartimento di Scienze della Terra, Largo San Marcellino 10, Napoli, 80138, Italy
3 - North Carolina State University, Department of Botany, Campus Box 7612, Raleigh, North Carolina, 27695-7612, USA
Keywords:
Fossil Angiosperm
basal eudicots.
Presentation Type: Poster:Posters for Sections
Session: 48-98
Location: Auditorium/Bell Memorial Union
Date: Tuesday, August 1st, 2006
Time: 12:30 PM
Abstract ID:174 |
