Carpolithes BRONGN.

Tiffney, Bruce H. & Manchester, Steven R., 2022, The Early Middle Eocene Wagon Bed Carpoflora Of Central Wyoming, U. S. A., Fossil Imprint 78 (1), pp. 51-79 : 67

publication ID

https://doi.org/ 10.37520/fi.2022.004

persistent identifier

https://treatment.plazi.org/id/039C6431-0824-FFCF-A57D-957CD2D1FCBE

treatment provided by

Felipe

scientific name

Carpolithes BRONGN.
status

 

Genus Carpolithes BRONGN.

Carpolithes sp. 1

Text-fig. 8a–e View Text-fig

M a t e r i a l. One specimen, chalcedony cast, USNM

PAL 772366.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Ovoid to obovoid in lateral view, inflated, three sided in cross section ( Text-fig. 8a–c View Text-fig ). 13.4 mm long, 8.2 by 8.4 mm in cross section. Two of the three angles defined by strong longitudinal ridges, the third angle eroded, without a pronounced ridge ( Text-fig. 8d View Text-fig ). The most pronounced ridge bounded by two faint lineations that meet near the more rounded end. The faces between the ridges (where not eroded) with fainter longitudinal striations. The rounded end with a small, circular raised point, possibly of attachment. The opposite end more pointed, but with the tip eroded. The structure is almost split in half at the more pointed end.

D i s c u s s i o n. The presence of a scar on the rounded end leads us to postulate that this is the base, although that might be in error. The size and three angled aspect of the fossil, coupled with the faint lineations adjacent to the most well-developed ridge, led to the initial hypotheses that this might be a three-angled endocarp with three valves, perhaps like Nyssa . However, these potential valves are more elongate than those of Nyssa , which has valves limited to the apical half of the endocarp. If it were Nyssa , this would also suggest that the scar on the rounded end was in fact associated with the stigma, and that the pointed and eroded end was the base. However, in the absence of further detail, we choose to treat this as Carpolithes .

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