Fossil Plants

The pre-Cenozoic bryophyte fossil record is significantly sparser than that of vascular plants or Cenozoic bryophytes. This situation has been traditionally attributed to a hypothesized low preservation potential of the plants. However, instances of excellent pre-Cenozoic bryophyte preservation and the results of experiments simulating fossilization contradict this traditional interpretation, suggesting that bryophytes have good preservation potential. Studies of an anatomically preserved Early Cretaceous (Valanginian) plant fossil assemblage on Vancouver Island (British Columbia), at Apple Bay, focusing on the cryptogamic flora, have revealed an abundant bryophyte component. The Apple Bay flora hosts one of the most diverse bryophyte assemblages worldwide, with at least nine distinct moss types (polytrichaceous, leucobryaceous, tricostate), one complex thalloid liverwort, and two other thalloid plants (representing bryophyte or pteridophyte gametophytes), which contribute a significant fraction of biodiversity to the pre-Cenozoic fossil record of bryophytes. These results (i) corroborate previous observations and studies, indicating that the preservation potential of bryophytes is much better than traditionally thought; (ii) indicate that the bryophyte fossil record is incompletely explored and many more bryophyte fossils are hidden in the rock record, awaiting discovery; and (iii) suggest that the paucity of the pre-Cenozoic bryophyte fossil record is primarily a reflection of inadequate paleobryological capacity. Résumé : Le registre des bryophytes fossiles du pré-Cénozoïque est significativement plus mince que celui de plantes vasculaires ou de bryophytes du Cénozoïque. Cette situation a été traditionnellement attribuée a ` un hypothétique faible potentiel de préservation de ces plantes. Cependant, des exemples d'une excellente préservation de bryophytes du pré-Cénozoïque et les résultats d'expériences simulant la fossilisation contredisent cette interprétation tradition-nelle, suggérant que les bryophytes ont un bon potentiel de préservation. Des études d'un assemblage de plantes fossiles anatomiquement préservées du Crétacé inférieur sur l'Ile de Vancouver (Colombie Britannique), a ` Apple Bay, se concentrant sur la flore cryptogame, ont révélé une composante importante de bryophytes. La flore d'Apple Bay comporte un des assemblages de bryophytes les plus diversifiés dans le monde, avec au moins neuf types distincts de mousses (Polytrichacées, Leucobryacées, mousses tricostées), une hépatique thalloïde complexe et deux autres plantes thalloïdes (représentant des gamétophytes de bryophyte ou de ptéridophyte), qui contribuent a ` une fraction significa-tive de la biodiversité du registre des bryophytes fossiles du pré-Cénozoïque. Ces résultats (i) corroborent les observations et les études antérieures indiquant que le potentiel de préservation des bryophytes est beaucoup meilleur qu'initialement présumé; (ii) indiquent que le registre de bryophytes fossiles est incomplètement exploré et que beaucoup plus de bryophytes fossiles sont cachés dans les couches de roches, dans l'attente d'être découverts et (iii) suggèrent que la pauvreté du registre des bryophytes fossiles du pré-Cénozoïque est surtout le reflet d'une capacité paléobryologique inadéquate.

During construction work between 2010 and 2012 a large road cut in Flöha enabled collection of a diverse middle
Pennsylvanian flora embedded in pyroclastic deposits. Fossil plants consisting of sphenopsids, ferns, lycopsids and gymnosperms, confirm and delimit the stratigraphic age of the Flöha-Formation as Bolsovian, which is in accordance with the radiometric age of 310±2 Ma obtained from the plant-bearing horizon. Several plants were detected for the first time from the Flöha-Formation, such as various sphenopterid, mariopterid and neuropterid pteridophylls, calamitalean and cordaitalean fructifications and woods, sphenophyllalean leaves and strobili, zygopterid and psaroniaceous ferns. Preservational forms comprise compression-impression types, casts and also permineralised
stems. The pyroclastics at the outcrop were described as being of the palaeorhyolite type Schweddey and consist of more or less welded lapilli-containing, poorly sorted ash tuffs, whose origin is attributed to a pyroclastic density current. This palaeorhyolite was compared with other palaeorhyolites in the region and is best understood as a separate volcanic emplacement event - distinct in space and time from other palaeorhyolites.
Our results and considerations thus challenge the Permian stratigraphic age of the fossil ferns (Tubicaulis, Zygopteris)
described by Cotta (1832) from the Gückelsberg quarry at Flöha.

This paper deals with compression fossils of two Late Carboniferous herbaceous lycopods, New fertile material of
Selaginellites gutbieri (G6ppert, 1837) Kidston, 1911 was collected from its type locality Oelsnitz (Westphalian D; Erzgebirge- Basin). The three-dimensionally preserved strobili clearly show micro- and megasporangia. In addition a sterile large-leaved form is described from the Westphalian D of the Saar Basin.

In the filling of a sinkhole within the Lower Muschelkalk at the limestone quarry of the cement plant Karsdorf, beside fossil rich Upper Muschelkalk, also Palaeogene fossil material was found. The Muschelkalk part of the fi lling consists of approximately 50 m of Upper Muschelkalk and contains fossil material from the tetractinella bed (Trochitenkalk facies) up to the cycloides bed. The Palaeogene sediments of the collapse mass are not decalcifi ed and include a carpofl ora, rests of molluscs and vertebrates. The carpological samples show a wide stratigraphic range. Some species seem to be of Lower Eocene age or older (Tinospora wikinsonii Chandler) and correspond with appropriate fl oras from England like the London Clay; others are present from Eocene to Miocene. Most of the samples belong to Nyssaceans, Vitaceans, Menispermaceans and submerse swamp and aquatic plants (Potamogeton, Stratiotes, Sparganium, Ceratophyllum). Most of the small and fragile bone fragments belong to amphibians but also a lot of reptile material like turtles (Testudinoidea) and crocodiles were found. Special attention refers to mammal and bird remains. Exemplary the oldest rodent record in Germany (Paramyidae) needs to be mentioned. The faunistic fossils indicate close relations to the stratigraphically and spatially similar Geiseltal. In particular the gastropods Australorbis, Galba and Carychiopsis indicate close relations with the gastropod faunas of Geiseltal. Therefore most of the faunistic fossil content suggests a stratigraphic classifi cation in the Middle Eocene, but especially the carpofl ora indicates the possibility that the subrosion has already started in the Lower Eocene or earlier. With our data it is possible to more exactly determine the period of leaching in the Rötsalinar and thus the development of the sinkhole.

"Evangelia Kyriazi and Nickolas Zouros from the Natural History Museum of the Lesvos Petrified Forest explain how getting volunteers involved has helped them in the task of conserving Lesvos’ vast petrified forest, as well as assisting the training of student
conservators from all over the world."

A new locality, at Schaßbach (Carinthia, Austria), within the Neogene Lavanttal Basin has yielded numerous well preserved early Badenian (Langhian) plant macrofossils. This paper, which is the first in a series of papers that describe the macrofossil remains from Schaßbach, provides a geological and chronostratigraphic framework of the study area and summarizes previous research on plant macrofossils from the Lavanttal Basin. Here, Cenozoic leaf fossils of Ginkgo with preserved cuticles showing epidermal features are described for the first time from Austria, and from the pre-Pliocene of the Central Paratethys region. The Ginkgo foliage remains are currently one of the oldest Cenozoic fossils representing this genus in Central Europe. The fossils are considered to reflect trees growing outside lowland wetland areas and originated from the riparian vegetation. Based on the current habitat and fossil occurrence of Cenozoic ginkgos, the early Badenian flora in the Lavanttal area likely endured a warm temperate and humid climate. Aus der neuen Lokalität Schaßbach (unteres Badenium, unteres Langhium) im neogenen Lavanttal Becken wurden zahlreiche gut erhaltene Pflanzenfossilien gesammelt, die derzeit untersucht werden. In der vorliegenden Arbeit wird ein geologischer Über-blick gegeben, frühere paläobotanische Arbeiten werden zusammenfassend dargestellt und das erste systematisch untersuchte Makroflorenelement aus Schaßbach wird beschrieben: Ginkgoaceae. Känozoische Blattfossilien von Ginkgo adiantoides (Unger) Heer mit gut erhaltenen Kutikularstrukturen sind hier zum ersten Mal aus Österreich und dem prä-Pliozän der Zentralen Parate-thys Region beschrieben. Die Ginkgo-Blätter aus Schaßbach repräsentieren derzeit eines der ältesten Vorkommen der Gattung im Känozoikum Mitteleuropas. Die Bäume wuchsen vermutlich außerhalb der niedrig gelegenen Feuchtgebiete als Teil der orogra-phisch höher gelegenen Umgebungsvegetation. Anhand der heutigen und fossilen Vorkommen lässt sich vermuten, dass die mit-telmiozäne (Unter-Badenium) Flora des Lavanttals unter warm gemäßigtem und humidem Klima wuchs._____________________

This paper describes the location of the Lesvos Petrified Forest and the geological mechanisms that led to its creation and provides information on the plant and animal fossils found, their composition and dating. A brief history of its discovery is also presented, dating from ancient times to present.
It refers to decay mechanisms and presents the conservation treatments performed for different types of damage, including cleaning, consolidation, filling, adhesion and protection from rain water, while providing information of lifting of heavy and smaller fossils from the excavation sites.
The paper concludes by emphasizing the need for educational programs, sensitization of the public and further research as tools for the safekeeping of the Petrified Forest.

We describe a new species of the fossil genus Laurinoxylon from the El Bosque Formation (Eocene), Chiapas, Mexico. The new species is characterized by: diffuse porous wood with indistinct growth rings; solitary vessels and in radial multiples of two to three vessels per radial multiple; simple perforation plates; alternate intervessel pits: septate and non-septate fibers; round vessel-ray parenchyma pits, horizontally and vertically elongated with reduced borders; axial parenchyma scanty paratracheal, vasicentric, apotracheal diffuse; heterogeneous rays, and oil cells associated to the ray parenchyma and among the fibers. This fossil genus has been described before from the Cretaceous to the Neogene, worldwide. This is the first formal record of Laurinoxylon and the first Eocene macrofossil report of Lauraceae from Mexico. This new species supports the hypothesis that the Lauraceae had a wide distribution during the past and that Mexico may be an important region for the diversification of the family as evidenced by its fossil record dating from the Late Cretaceous and by the high number of genera and species that currently grow in Mexico.

ABSTRACT - The fossil plants of the Domenico Miccolis Collection, stored at the Museo di Storia Naturale of Venice (Italy), are from the Middle Jurassic Genna Selole Formation of central Sardinia. The assemblage contains 11 taxa: Marattia intermedia, Phlebopteris muensteri, P. braunii, Coniopteris sp. cf. C. hymenophylloides, Dicksonia kendallii, Eboracia sp. cf. E. lobifolia, Cladophlebis sp., Weltrichia sp. cf. W. whitbiensis, Geinitzia divaricata, Brachyphyllum expansum and Carpolithes sp. 2. Six species are described for the first time from the
Jurassic strata of Sardinia (and Italy), thus increasing the known biodiversity of the flora of this age from these regions. The newly identified taxa have several characters in common with the well-studied Yorkshire flora (UK) indicating strong floristic affinities between southern and western Europe during the Jurassic.

THERMOPHILIC FAGACEAE: QUERCUS, LITHOCARPUS AND CASTANOPSIS FROM THE LATE EOCENE OF THE SOUTHERN EUROPEAN RUSSIA
S. V. Vikulin
Komarov Botanical Institute of the Russian Academy of Sciences, St.Petersburg

In the Late Eocene Floras (Tim, Molotychi, Kursk province of European Russia; Karpiha, Kochetyn, Tochilnitsa, Zhitomir Province of Ukraine; Zhamantuz, Selety of Kazakhstan; Kamenity, Stare Sedlo of Bohemia, Czech Republic; Zeitz complex of Germany) and Early Oligocene Floras (Agjakend, Indzhachay of Azerbaijan, Osieczow of Poland) paratropical/subtropical evergreen Fagaceae of Tethyan region — Quercus, Cyclobalanopsis, Castanopsis, Lithocarpus (=Pasania), Eotrigonobalanus were amongst dominant taxa. Throughout the Paleogene, in the territory of European Russia, as well as in the entire East European Plain and such adjacent areas as Ukraine, Kazakhstan and Southern Urals, a characteristic ecological trend is observed, a shift from the dominant elements — the ancient xerophilic Poltavian (Volynian=Drevlyanian) towards mesophilic, initially of transitional composition, moderately subtropical, pre- Turgaian, and finally at the end of the Oligocene-Miocene — transformed into a temperate, mostly deciduous Turgaian plant communities (Vickulin, 1998; 1999a, b; 2006; Vickulin et al., 2003a, b). Paleogeographicly, the floral transition (Vikulin, 1987a, b, 1990, 1991) was associated with the retreat and shoaling of epicontinental and shallow Peri-Tethyan Ocean, which had existed during Paleogene of European Russia (Benyamovsky, 2003) and as a consequence, changes in facies of depositional environments had appeared. After an initial slight cooling in the late Eocene on the Russian plain, ancient thermophilic angiospermous and coniferous taxa had disappeared. Amongst them were ancient thermophilic Fagaceae, newly described species — Quercus pseudoneriifolia Vikulin, sp. nov., Lithocarpus timensis Vikulin, sp. nov. и Castanopsis timensis (Palib.) Iljinskaja, closely related to contemporary ancient evergreen beech family members, so called «stone oaks» of subtropical and mountain rainforests of Malesian floristic region: Southern China, Taiwan, and islands of Indonesia: Borneo, New Guinea (Vikulin, 2010).

An isolated outlier of the Permo-Triassic red beds is visible between Peppercombe and Portledge Mouth on the North Devon coast. A visit to this location has yielded a number of interesting features and prompts a comparison with the Red Beds at Budleigh Salterton on the South Devon coast.