Hamamelidoxylon cf. suzukii E.A.WHEELER

Wheeler, Elisabeth A. & Manchester, Steven R., 2021, A Diverse Assemblage Of Late Eocene Woods From Oregon, Western Usa, Fossil Imprint 77 (2), pp. 299-329 : 314

Hamamelidoxylon cf. suzukii E.A.WHEELER et T.A. DILLHOff, 2009

Text-fig. 7j–n

M a t e r i a l. UF 279-34465. Minimum estimated axis diameter 30 cm.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Growth rings boundaries distinct, marked by a few rows of radially narrow fibers, with latest latewood vessels narrower than the first earlywood vessels ( Text-fig. 7j, k ). Wood diffuse-porous.

Vessels predominantly solitary, angular in outline (Textfig. 7j, k), mean tangential diameter 58 (11), range 45–90 µm; 85–117/mm 2; perforations all scalariform, 18–41 bars (Textfig. 7l); vessel element lengths average 997 (146) µm.

Fibers non-septate, thick walled; distinctly bordered pits on radial walls and tangential walls ( Text-fig. 7k, m, n ).

Axial parenchyma rare, diffuse ( Text-fig. 7k ).

Rays 1–2(–3)-seriate ( Text-fig. 7m ), heterocellular ( Text-fig. 7m ); ray body composed of procumbent cells, with marginal rows of square cells, ( Text-fig. 7n ).

Solitary crystals occasional in upright/square ray cells ( Text-fig. 7n ).

C o m p a r i s o n s w i t h e x t a n t w o o d s. The combination of features used to search InsideWood for this sample’s affinities was similar to that used for the sample designated Hamamelidoxylon crystalliferum , except that we used crystals in upright/square ray parenchyma cells (137p) as a search criterion, not crystals in chambered upright ray parenchyma cells (140p). Results of this search returned Hamamelidaceae ( Corylopsis , Mytilaria , Sinowilsonia ), Altingiaceae (Liquidambar) , and Cercidiphyllum . As we did for Cercidiphyllum , we used the work of Sakala and Privé-Gill (2004) on distinguishing between these families, and, in this case, conclude that this wood has affinities with the Hamamelidaceae .

C o m p a r i s o n s w i t h f o s s i l w o o d s. Table 2 compares features of the Hamamelidoxylon species with relatively complete descriptions. Although there are differences in quantitative features (higher vessel frequency, rays more frequently 3-seriate), we suggest this late Eocene wood is similar to Hamamelidoxylon suzukii ( Wheeler and Dillhoff 2009) from the middle Miocene, Ginkgo Petrified Forest State Park, Washington, USA.

reduced borders and horizontally elongate, RLS. g: Rays 1–2-seriate, TLS. h: Upright cells approximately 4× higher than procumbent cells, RLS. i: Inflated chambered crystalliferous ray cell, RLS. Hamamelidoxylon cf. suzukii, UF 279-34465. j, k: Diffuse-porous wood with exclusively solitary vessels, angular in outline, thick-walled fibers, axial parenchyma not common, apotracheal diffuse, TS. l: Scalariform perforation plate with>20 bars, RLS. m: Rays mostly 2–3-seriate, TLS. n: Rays with procumbent body cells and square marginal cells. Scale bars: 200 µm in a, j; 100 µm in g, m, n; 50 µm in b, c, d, e, g, h, I, k, l; 20 µm in f.

Figures

Text-fig. 7. Hamamelidoxylon crystalliferum sp. nov., UF 279-34464. a: Diffuse porous wood with exclusively solitary vessels, tending to be angular in outline, TS. b: Growth ring boundary, marked by radially narrowed fibers, latewood vessels narrower than earlywood vessels of the next ring, fibers thick-walled, no axial parenchyma visible, TS. c: Scalariform intervessel pits in narrow vessel (left), fibers with distinctly bordered pits, TLS. d: Scalariform perforation plate, tyloses (T) formation from marginal ray cell, TLS. e: Scalariform perforation plates with fewer than 15 bars (PP), RLS. f: Vessel-ray parenchyma pits with