Mennegoxylon Explained

Mennegoxylon, commonly referred to as snakewood, is a genus of now extinct trees exhibiting a cell structure resembling snake skin when viewed in cross section.^[1] Mennegoxylon is found in the Eocene age Yegua Formation of Texas and Louisiana, USA. Specifically, many examples of snakewood have been found in College Station, Texas.^[2]

It has been classified as a genus in the Nyctaginaceae.^[3] The type species is Mennegoxylon jonesii. The genus is named for Dr. Alberta Mennega.

Notes and References

1. Hueber. F.M. . E.M.V. Nambudiri . W.D. Tidwell . E.F. Wheeler. 1991. An Eocene fossil tree with cambial variant wood structure. Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology. Elsevier Science Publishers B.V.. Amsterdam. 68. 3–4 . 257–267. 10.1016/0034-6667(91)90027-z . 1991RPaPa..68..257H .
2. Singleton. Scott. January 2017. Occurrence of Fossil Woods in Texas, Primarily the Cretaceous and Tertiary. Gulf Coast Association of Geological Societies Transactions. 67. 305–330. The AAPG/Datapages Combined Publications Database.
3. Wheeler . Elisabeth . Manchester . Steven R. . Woods of the Middle Eocene Nut Beds Flora, Clarno Formation, Oregon, USA . IAWA Journal . January 2002 . 3 . 156 . 27 January 2021 . International Association of Wood Anatomists . Nationaal Herbarium Nederland, The Netherlands.