Create your own conference schedule! Click here for full instructions

Abstract Detail


Paleobotanical Section

Hu, Shusheng [1], Taylor, David [2], Hickey, Leo [3].

A new Turonian flower of Ericalean affinity from the South Amboy Fire Clay Member of the Raritan Formation, Linden Clay Pit, Middlesex County, New Jersey.

Charcoalified plant mesofossils, including flowers, inflorescences, fruits, and seeds, have been recovered from carbonaceous clay of inferred estuarine origin belonging to the South Amboy Fire Clay Member of the Raritan Formation from the Linden Clay Pit, Middlesex County, New Jersey. Based upon dispersed angiosperm pollen, including Complexiopollis sp. and Pseudoplicapollis sp., these samples fall in Zone V of Doyle and Robbins (1977) and are of late Turonian Age. Among the three dimensionally preserved mesofossils is a minute, pentamerous flower with in situ ovules and adherent pollen. The flower is 2.0 mm long and 1.2 mm wide. The preserved basal remnants of the perianth form a single ring resulting from the fusion of an inner and an outer whorl of sympetalous and synsepalous corolla elements. An annular disc is located inside of the stamens, into which is inserted a large nectary gland opposite to the filament bases. The ovary is superior, syncarpous, and 5-carpellate, 1.1mm long, and 0.9 mm wide. The style is at least 0.5 mm long and hollow. The stumps of five filament bases are present and opposite the petals. Pollen grains, which are found adhering to the filament bases and also lying between the petals and the ovary wall, are oblate, 14 x 21µm, tricolporoidate, with short colpi, scabrate to regulate sculpturing, and a solid tectum and foot layer. The ovules are rectangular, 105 x 66 µm in length and width, arranged horizontally, and axile, with more than 50 ovules per locule. Based upon the floral and pollen characteristics, such as a connate corolla, an annular disc, a syncarpous and 5-locular ovary, a hollow style, horizontal ovules, axile placentation, and tricolporoidate pollen with a solid tectum and foot layer; the fossil flower appears to have its closest affinity with the Order Ericales.

Broader Impacts:


Log in to add this item to your schedule

1 - Yale University, Peabody Museum of Natural History, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06511, USA
2 - INDIANA UNIVERSITY SOUTHEAST, Department Of Biology, 4200 GRANT LINE ROAD, NEW ALBANY, IN, 47150, USA
3 - Yale University, Peabody Museum Of Natural History, P.O. Box 208109, 170 Whitney Avenue, New Haven, CT, 06520-8109, USA

Keywords:
charcoalified mesofossils
angiosperm flower
Ericales
Turonian
Raritan Formation.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 40
Location: Forsyth Room/Chase Park Plaza
Date: Wednesday, July 13th, 2011
Time: 9:00 AM
Number: 40004
Abstract ID:379


Copyright © 2000-2011, Botanical Society of America. All rights reserved