Englerodendron mulugetanum A.D.Pan, B.F.Jacobs, R.T.Bush, Estrella, Grímsson, Herend., Burgt et Currano

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN003083

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:3083

Authors: A. D. Pan, B. F. Jacobs, R. T. Bush, M. de la Estrella, F. Grímsson, P. S. Herendeen, X. M. van der Burgt & E. D. Currano

Rank: species

Reference for this name: Pan, A. D., Jacobs, B. F., Bush, R. T., de la Estrella, M., Grímsson, F., Herendeen, P. S., Burgt, X. M. van der & Currano, E. D. (2023): First evidence of a monodominant (Englerodendron, Amherstieae, Detarioideae, Leguminosae) tropical moist forest from the early Miocene (21.73 Ma) of Ethiopia. – PLoS ONE 18(1): e0279491 (1–26)., link

Page of description: 6

Illustrations or figures: Figs 1-3

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Paripinnate leaves, symmetrical leaflets, oppositely inserted with twisted and terete pulvinate short petiolules and acuminate leaflet tips. Secondary venation is eucampto- dromous, often becoming brochidodromous towards the leaflet apex. Abaxial and adaxial cuticle with highly sinuous anticlinal cell walls, which also possess ‘knob-like’ thickenings. Stomata paracytic. Trichome bases present, but sparse.

Etymology

The species name honors our friend and colleague, Dr. Mulugeta Feseha, of Addis Ababa University, who introduced us to the fossil locality. In addition, ‘mulugeta’ (ሙሉጌታ), which means ‘he who rules’ in Amharic, is particularly fitting since this species was an ecological and temporal dominant in the early Miocene Mush forest paleoenvironment.

Stratigraphy

Neogene, Miocene, Aquitanian

Locality

Ethiopia
The Mush Valley fossil site is located in a region of the northwestern plateau of Ethiopia approximately 160 km northeast of Addis Ababa and between the towns of Debre Birhan and Debre Sina (9˚47’N, 39˚39’ E)