Celtis

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 : 55-57

Genus Celtis L.

Text-fig. 7j, k

M a t e r i a l. UF 19652-86483, 19652-86484, 19652-

86485, 19652-86486, 19652-86487, 19652-86488.

L o c a l i t y. M3.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Endocarp calcareous, ovoid, 4.7 mm long, 3.5 mm wide, with reticulate surface ridging, areoles of the reticulum square; endocarp 7 squares wide and about 8 squares tall.

R e m a r k s. A calcified endocarp with reticulate sculpture enables us to place this fossil in Celtis . Such endocarps are commonly known from Eocene deposits ( Manchester 1989, 1994).

Family Juglandaceae DC. ex PERLEB

Genus Palaeocarya SAPORTA

Text-fig. 8i

M a t e r i a l. USNM PAL 622690.

L o c a l i t y. Disbrow Creek.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Winged fruit incomplete, 2.1 cm long and 1.7 cm wide; main wing trilobed; lobes lanceolate diverging at 46.4°, middle lobe 7.0 mm wide and lateral lobes 5.4–5.8 mm wide; wing lobes possessing three main veins, each with the midvein being the thickest; lateral ascending veins dissipate into loops distally, epimedial veins mostly perpendicular, exmedial veins branching apically, veins visible up to third order. Prophyllum ca. 0.8 cm long and 0.6 cm wide with straight, unbranched trichomes below the wing measuring between and 1.7 to 3.7 mm long.

R e m a r k s. Palaeocarya is a fossil genus that accommodates fruits with trilobed wings, similar to those of the extant genera, Engelhardia LESCH. ex BLUME of Asia and Oreomunnea of Central America. Distinctions between species of the extant genera and in Palaeocarya can be made in part by wing venation patterns ( Manchester 1987). Only the basal portions of the wings are seen in this specimen. Palaeocarya clarnensis MANCHESTER and P. uintaensis (MACGINITIE) MANCHESTER both appear to have three main veins in the basal portion of their wings, however, the lateral veins of P. uintaensis become secondary loops more apically ( Manchester 1987) whereas P. clarnensis has a pubescent nutlet base ( Manchester 1987) like this fossil. Because this fossil shares features of both species and P. uintaensis is known from only one specimen, this fossil is not being assigned to a species. More specimens may help resolve its taxonomic affinity. P. clarnensis has been observed in collections from the Green River Formation (Little Mountain, Wyoming) as well as from the Clarno Formation (West Branch Creek and Gosner Road, Oregon), with the Clarno localities being a similar age to the Kishenehn Formation ( Manchester 1987). P. uintaensis is known only from the Green River Formation (Rainbow, Utah) ( MacGinitie 1969, Manchester 1987).

Figures

Text-fig. 7. a: USNM PAL 722490 cf. Myriophyllum fruit. Scale bar 1mm. b: USNM PAL 624027 three-valved Populus sp. capsule on pedicel. Scale bar 3mm. c: USNM PAL 717328 Deviacer wolfei samara. Scale bar 5mm. d: USNM PAL 621987 Fabaceae sp. 1 Legume fruit showing persistent style. Scale bar 2mm. e: USNM PAL 625803 Fabaceae sp. 2 fruit. Scale bar 5mm. f: USNM PAL 620816 Agrimonia sp. fruit. Scale bar 3mm. g: Modern Agrimonia pubescens fruit (image by Tracey Slotta, United States Department of Agriculture National Resource Conservation Service Plants Database). h: USNM PAL 621976 Ulmus sp. F1 fruit showing two persistent styles. Scale bar 2mm. i: DMNH EPI.48205 Ulmus sp. L1 leaf. Scale bar 1cm. j: UF 19652-86483 endocarp of Celtis sp. k: UF 19652-86484 Endocarps of Celtis sp.

Text-fig. 8. Betulaceae and Juglandaceae from the Kishenehn Formation. a: DMNH L6933 Alnus sp. L1 leaves. Scale bar 2cm. b: DMNH EPI.48179 Alnus sp. leaf. Scale bar 2cm. c: DMNH EPI.48136b Alnus sp. leaf. Scale bar 2cm. d: USNM PAL 622756 Alnus sp. I1 infructescence attached to branch. Scale bar 1cm. e: USNM PAL 623160 Betuloideae showing wing, seed body and two persistent styles. Scale bar 1mm. f: USNM PAL 622732 Alnus sp. F1 samara showing two persistent styles. Scale bar 1mm. g: USNM PAL 624925 Betula sp. samara showing wing, seed body and two persistent styles. Scale bar 1mm. h: USNM PAL 623147 Alnus sp. F2 samara showing. Scale bar 1mm. i: USNM PAL 622690 Palaeocarya sp. samara showing three wings with reticulate venation and hairs at base. Scale bar 1cm.