| Abstract Detail
Paleobotanical Section Pigg, Kathleen [1], Devore, Melanie [2], Taylor, Witt [3]. Eocene water lilies from Republic: multi-organ fossil remains of Nuphar (Nymphaeaceae). Fossil water lily remains of Nuphar (Nymphaeaceae), including a stigmatic disc, perianth parts, fruits, in situ and isolated seeds, seed clusters, stamens and stamen scars and rhizomes with attached roots are described from the latest early Eocene Republic flora of north-central Washington State, USA. Together, these fossils allow us to document a nearly complete reconstruction of an Eocene Nuphar plant that can be compared in detail to extant forms and other fossil remains. These fossils demonstrate several features that are distinctive to Nuphar, including the stigmatic disc, seed clusters that are formed as a mode of dispersal, and rhizomes with attached adventitious roots that have a characteristic morphology. Some of these features have been noted previously in fossils designated as Nuphar sp. and cf. Nuphar from the Oligocene Bridge Creek flora of Oregon (Meyer and Manchester, 1997) and Nuphar advenoides Becker from the Beaverhead Basins of southwestern Montana (Becker, 1969), now considered latest Eocene-earliest Oligocene (Lielke, Manchester and Meyer, 2010). The Republic fossil demonstrates that the structures, and presumably functions of extant flowers, fruits, and seed dispersal of modern Nuphar were already established by the latest early Eocene. Broader Impacts:
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1 - Arizona State University, SCHOOL OF LIFE SCIENCES FACULTY & ADMIN, BOX 874501, Tempe, AZ, 85287-4501, USA, 480/965-3154
2 - Dept of Biology & Env. Science, GC & SU Campus Box 81, MILLEDGEVILLE, GA, 31061-0001, USA
3 - Bentley University, Department of Natural and Applied Sciences, Waltham, MA, 02452
Keywords:
Nymphaeaceae
Nuphar
Aquatic plant
Okanogan Highlands
stigmatic disc
seed dispersal.
Presentation Type: Oral Paper:Papers for Sections
Session: 44
Location: Prince of Wales/Riverside Hilton
Date: Wednesday, July 31st, 2013
Time: 2:00 PM
Number: 44003
Abstract ID:439
Candidate for Awards:None |
