First fossil record of Staphylea L. (Staphyleaceae) from North America, and its biogeographic implications

The occurrences of Staphylea L. (Staphyleaceae) fossils have been abundantly documented from the Cenozoic of Eurasia, but none has been confirmed from North America to date. In this study, we describe Staphylealevisemia sp. nov. on the basis of seed remains from the latest Miocene to earliest Plioce...

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Bibliographic Details
Published in:Plant Systematics and Evolution
Main Authors: Huang, Yong Jiang, Liu, Yu Sheng, Wen, Jun, Quan, Cheng
Format: Text
Language:unknown
Published: Digital Commons @ East Tennessee State University 2015
Subjects:
fossil seed
Gray Fossil Site
late Neogene
North America
Staphylea
North Atlantic
Online Access:https://dc.etsu.edu/etsu-works/15366
https://doi.org/10.1007/s00606-015-1224-z
Description
Summary:The occurrences of Staphylea L. (Staphyleaceae) fossils have been abundantly documented from the Cenozoic of Eurasia, but none has been confirmed from North America to date. In this study, we describe Staphylealevisemia sp. nov. on the basis of seed remains from the latest Miocene to earliest Pliocene of northeastern Tennessee, southeastern USA. The seeds are characterized by a smoothly inflated body, a large hilar scar perforated by several vascular traces and bordered by a distinctive lip-like rim, a cuticle coating the seed coat interior, and seed coat section containing weakly developed tiny lumina. According to the paleogeographic distribution of the genus, it is hypothesized that Staphylea originated from western Eurasia no later than the late Oligocene, and arrived in eastern North America no later than the late Neogene, most possibly through the North Atlantic land bridges like many other seed plants.

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