Terminalioxylon mozambicense M.K.Bamford et M.Pickford

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002687

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2687

Authors: M. K. Bamford & M. Pickford

Rank: species

Reference: Bamford, M. K. & Pickford, M. (2021): Stratigraphy, chronology and palaeontology of the Tertiary rocks of the Cheringoma Plateau, Mozambique. – Fossil Imprint 77(1): 187–213.

Page of description: 205

Illustrations or figures: tetx-fig. 16

Types

Original diagnosis/description

The wood is diffuse porous and growth rings are absent to indistinct. Vessels are arranged in short radial multiples, often solitary but with lines of two or three pores. Some vessels are tylosed, and range in diameter from 145–175 μm (Text-fig. 16a–c). Perforation plates are simple and horizontal. Inter-vessel pits are alternate and 6–8 μm and vessel-parenchyma pits are the same (Text-fig. 16a, b). Parenchyma is scanty paratracheal to vasicentric and also diffuse (Text-fig. 16a). There are 2–4 cells per parenchyma strand. Prismatic crystals occur in the diffuse parenchyma cells and the ray cells (Text-fig. 16d–g). Rays are exclusively uniseriate and up to 16 cells high (175-400-500 μm), and procumbent body cells with 1–2 rows of marginal, square or upright cells that are difficult to see because of the dark cell contents (Text-fig. 16i). No canals were seen.

Etymology

The species name is for Mozambique with the latin suffix ense meaning “from”.

Stratigraphy

Paleogene, Eocene
probably late Eocene

Locality

Mozambique
Mhengere Hill, Site 3 (18°56′02.0″S, 34°36′50.6″E). Fossil wood associated with palaeopan, lower northwest slope