Potomacanthus lobatus gen. et sp. nov., a new flower of probable Lauraceae from the Early Cretaceous (Early to Middle Albian) of eastern North America

A charcoalified fossil flower, Potomacanthus lobatus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Early Cretaceous (Early to Middle Albian) Puddledock locality, Virginia, USA. Internal floral structure was studied using nondestructive synchrotron-radiation x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM). The flower...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:American journal of botany 2007-12, Vol.94 (12), p.2041-2053
Main Authors: von Balthazar, Maria, Pedersen, Kaj Raunsgaard, Crane, Peter R, Stampanoni, Marco, Friis, Else Marie
Format: Article
Language:English
Subjects:
Androecium
Anthers
Appendages
Early Cretaceous
floral structure and reconstruction
Flowers
Flowers & plants
fossil
Fossils
Gynoecium
Lauraceae
Laurales
Paleobotany
Perianths
Plants
Pollen
Potomac Group
Stamens
Systematics and Phytogeography
Taxonomy
x‐ray tomography
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Description
Summary:A charcoalified fossil flower, Potomacanthus lobatus gen. et sp. nov., is described from the Early Cretaceous (Early to Middle Albian) Puddledock locality, Virginia, USA. Internal floral structure was studied using nondestructive synchrotron-radiation x-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM). The flower is bisexual and trimerous. The perianth consists of two whorls of tepals. The androecium has two whorls of fertile stamens. Anthers open by two distally hinged valves. The gynoecium consists of a single carpel that is plicate in the style and ascidiate in the ovary and contains a single pendant ovule. The fossil flower shares many similarities with flowers of extant Lauraceae and is unlike flowers of other families of Laurales. However, the fossil flower also differs in detail from all extant or fossil Lauraceae, particularly in configuration of the androecium. The new taxon, together with previously described but more fragmentary material from the Puddledock locality, provides the earliest fossil record of plants more closely related to Lauraceae than to any other extant family. It reveals several derived morphological characters that are potential synapomorphies among extant representatives of the family Lauraceae and contributes to the growing evidence for an early diversification of Laurales before the end of the Early Cretaceous.
ISSN:0002-9122
1537-2197
DOI:10.3732/ajb.94.12.2041