Eucryphia falcata explained

Eucryphia falcata is an extinct species of flowering plant. It belongs to the genus Eucryphia within the family Cunoniaceae.^[1]

Description

Macrofossils of compound leaves with an unknown number of total leaflets have been found. The lateral leaflets are falcate, and the terminal leaflet is symmetrical. It has a rounded base. The leaf margin had serrations. This is likely the plesiomorphic condition for all genera of the family Cunoniaceae.^[2] The leaves also had trichomes.

Etymology

The specific epithet falcata is derived from the falcate, lateral leaflets of the compound leaves.

Temporal range

This species lived during the late Paleocene, during the timeframe of 58.7 to 55.8 Ma.^{[3] [4] [5]} It is the oldest fossil Eucryphia species.^[6]

Distribution

One fossil specimen has been found near Bunyan, New South Wales, Australia. The fossil was found in lake sediments of the Lake Bungarby, which is a terrestrial mudstone dating back to the Paleocene.

Notes and References

1. Eucryphia falcata Hill, 1991. (n.d.). GBIF | Global Biodiversity Information Facility. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from https://www.gbif.org/species/8606557
2. Barnes, R. W., & Jordan, G. J. (2000). "Eucryphia (Cunoniaceae) reproductive and leaf macrofossils from Australian Cainozoic sediments." Australian Systematic Botany, 13(3), 373–394.
3. Hill, R. S. (1991). Leaves of Eucryphia (Eucryphiaceae) from Tertiary sediments in south-eastern Australia. Australian Systematic Botany, 4(3), 481–497.
4. Barnes, R. W. (1999). "Palaeobiogeography, extinctions and evolutionary trends in the Cunoniaceae: a synthesis of the fossil record (Doctoral dissertation, University of Tasmania)."
5. †Eucryphia falcata Hill 1991. (n.d.). Fossilworks: Gateway to the Paleobiology Database. Retrieved November 9, 2022, from http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo
6. Keefe, R. L. (2012). "The Brandy Creek fossil flora (Doctoral dissertation, Victoria University)."