Rutaspermum CHANDLER

Smith, MacKenzie A., Greenwalt, Dale E. & Manchester, Steven R., 2023, Diverse Fruits And Seeds Of The Mid-Eocene Kishenehn Formation, Northwestern Montana, Usa, And Their Implications For Biogeography, Fossil Imprint 79 (1), pp. 37-88 : 60

Genus Rutaspermum CHANDLER

Text-fig. 9f

M a t e r i a l. USNM PAL 624113.

L o c a l i t y. Dakin.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Seed ovate 2.8 mm long, 2.1 mm wide at widest point with elongate lateral hilum 0.7 mm long; reticulate to punctate sculpture with round fossae.

R e m a r k s. The fossil genus Rutaspermum is used for seeds with rutaceous affinity that cannot be placed into a modern genus. Whereas our seed has a similar shape to other Rutaspermum , the sculpture is more pronounced in our fossil ( Gregor 1989). Modern rutaceous genera such as Zanthoxylum can extend from subtropical into temperate latitudes (eFloras 2008–2022).

Figures

Text-fig. 9. a: USNM PAL 625742 Dipteronia samara showing pedicel, disc, an undeveloped fruit and a developed fruit. Scale bar 5mm. b: USNM PAL 621805 wings of cf. Boniodendron capsule. Scale bar 2mm. c: USNM PAL 625792 Sapindaceae capsular fruit with wings, septae and seeds. Scale bar 5mm. d: USNM PAL 623735 cf. Cedrela seed. Scale bar 3mm. e: USNM PAL 622276 Ailanthus confucii fruit showing seed body, ventral vein and stylar vein. Scale bar 5mm. f: USNM PAL 624113 Rutaspermum sp. Scale bar 2mm.