Abstract
A fossil trimerous flower from the Turonian (ca. 90 MYBP, Upper Cretaceous) of New Jersey is described as a new genus in the familyLauraceae. The fossil flower is charcoalified and preserved in exceptional detail. This fossil specimen is particularly remarkable in that several pollen grains have been preserved; pollen grains ofLauraceae generally have very thin exine and are rarely preserved in the fossil record. Although the specimen is incomplete and lacks anthers, there are sufficient structural details preserved to permit an assignment to theLauraceae, as well as comparisons with the tribePerseeae. This new genus provides an important addition to our knowledge of systematic and structural diversity in CretaceousLauraceae.
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Herendeen, P.S., Crepet, W.L. & Nixon, K.C. Fossil flowers and pollen ofLauraceae from the Upper Cretaceous of New Jersey. Pl Syst Evol 189, 29–40 (1994). https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00937576
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DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/BF00937576