Palaeocarpinus laciniata P.R.Crane

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002649

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2649

Author: P. R. Crane

Rank: species

Genus: Palaeocarpinus P.R.Crane

Reference: Crane, P. R. (1981): Betulaceous leaves and fruits from the British Upper Palaeocene. – Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society 83(2): 103–136.

Page of description: 114

Illustrations or figures: figs 20–36, 40

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Bracts usually with five major lobes cut to approximately halfway. Each lobe deeply and irregularly toothed. Maximum length ofbract 8–15 mm, proximal portion with 8–12 more or less parallel veins which branch distally and terminate in the teeth. Surface of bract bearing long simple hairs. Nutlets sessile, 3.4–5.3 mm long, 1.5–3.6 mm wide, with one median and two lateral ribs on both faces. Perigone composed of isodiametric polygonal cells, typically 10–15 μm in diameter, only rarely exceeding 20 μm. Hairs on perigone simple, c.50 μm long hair bases 4–( 7–8)–12 μm in diameter surrounded by slightly elongated radiating cells. Density ofhair bases between the ribs 10–25 per 100 μm2, increasing over the ribs. Perigone with occasional anomocytic stomata, guard cells 15–25 μm long, 10–20 μm wide. Outermost layer of pericarp composed of oblong cells, 3–5 times longer than those of the perigone. Remainder of pericarp composed of cells with sinuate outlines.

Etymology

From the form of the deeply dissected involucral bracts.

Stratigraphy

Paleogene, Paleocene
Upper Palaeocene, Reading Beds, approximately 10 m above the chalk.

Locality

United Kingdom
Cold Ash Quarry (SU501713) Newbury, Berkshire, England