Trapa kvacekii Wójcicki et D.Velitzelos

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN001935

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:1935

Authors: J. J. Wójcicki & D. Velitzelos

Rank: species

Reference: Wójcicki, J. J. & Velitzelos, D. (2007): Trapa kvacekii (Trapaceae), a remarkable new fossil species from the late Miocene of Greece. – Acta Palaeobotanica 47(2): 419–424., link

Page of description: 422

Illustrations or figures: figs 2A–D, 3A–I

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Large fruits, oblong-triangular in outline, with two pairs of solid horns; fruit 31–41 mm high (including neck), width of fruit at upper horns 40–55 mm; fruit about 1.3 times as wide as high; fruit head pronounced, 8–10 mm long, its upper end situated below the line joining the bases of the upper horns, bearing a well-developed neck usually somewhat narrowing towards the apex; neck 3–4 mm long and 3.5–5.0 mm broad, slightly protruding beyond the line joining the bases of the upper horns, corona lacking; apical aperture with a ring of upward-pointing hairs; surface of fruit head and neck finely ribbed; upper horns triangular in outline, (14) 16–22 mm long, at least slightly raised at the base, gradually attenuating into straight, elongate, thin, spine-like tips, ascending (50°–65°), with a smooth surface except for poorly marked, at least 6 mm long, retrorsely barbed spines (harpoons); presence of mat areas excluded; lower horns narrowly triangular in outline, up to 14 mm long, and about 8 mm wide at the base, at least slightly retrorse, straight or with gently upward-pointing apical part, inserted usually 3/5 to 3/4 the distance from the base of the fruit; the frame of the fruit well developed; on the fruit frame between the bases of the upper and lower horns, solid, probably conical (truncate?) tubercles developed, traces of their bases up to 4 mm in diameter; lower part of the fruit body obtriangular in outline, truncate at the base, its surface (on one side only) covered with fi ve protruding longitudinal ribs; fruit base with a smooth ring, up to 3 mm high; basal scar probably up to 3 mm in diameter.

Etymology

Named after the eminent Czech palaeobotanist Professor Zlatko Kvaček in recognition of his contribution to Tertiary palaeobotany.

Stratigraphy

Neogene, Miocene
Yellowish diatomite, late Miocene

Locality

Greece
Erosion exposed slope in a valley between Likudi and Kleisura near Elassona, Thessalia ("Likudi 5" according
to Velitzelos & Gregor 1986).