Cupressoideae

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 : 42

Cupressoideae 2

Text-fig. 2k, l

M a t e r i a l. USNM PAL 620087, 620274.

L o c a l i t y. Park.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Scale leaves on axis measuring 8.0 mm long and 1.2 mm wide; branchlets sprawling; distance from facial leaf apices 1.7 mm; leaf height 1.4 mm, leaf width 0.9–1.0 mm; apex of facial leaf does not cover juncture of subsequent lateral leaves; leaf apex pointed to slightly rounded 99–110°; leaves are keeled.

R e m a r k s. Cupressoideae 2 differs from Cupressoideae 1 and Cupressoideae 4 by having apices that do not cover the subsequent lateral leaf junctions, having obtuse leaf apices and by having keeled leaves. Cupressoideae 2 differs from Cupressoideae 3 by having shorter leaves (1.4 mm vs. 2.1 mm, respectively). This fossil cannot be placed confidently in a modern genus.

Figures

Text-fig. 2. Equisetum and conifers from the Kishenehn Formation. a: USNM PAL 620616 Equisetum sp. stem apex. Scale bar 3mm. b: USNM PAL 622297 Coniferae 1. Scale bar 5mm. c: USNM PAL 622081 Coniferae 2. Scale bar 2mm. d: USNM PAL 717666 cf. Metasequoia sp. seed. Scale bar 1mm. e: USNM PAL 622101 cf. Metasequoia sp. seed. Scale bar 1mm. f: USNM PAL 776571 Metasequoia sp. twig showing opposite leaves. Scale bar 10mm g: USNM PAL 776572 Metasequoia sp. twigs. Scale bar 10 mm. h: USNM PAL 621667 Juniperus sp. leafy twig. Scale bar 5mm. i: USNM PAL 722223 Juniperus sp. twig. Scale bar 2mm. Scale bar 3mm. j: USNM PAL 623467 unidentified Cupressoideae 1. Scale bar 3mm. k: USNM PAL 620274 unidentified Cupressoidae 2 leaves. l: USNM PAL 620087 unidentified Cupressoideae 2. Scale bar 1mm. m: USNM PAL 620184 unidentified Cupresseoideae 3 shoot. Scale bar 2mm. n: USNM PAL 621863 Cupressoideae 4 leafy twig. Scale bar 5mm.