Early Eocene zona-aperturate pollen grains of the Proxapertites type with affinity to Araceae
- Author(s)
- Reinhard Zetter, Michael Hesse, Andrea Frosch-Radivo
- Abstract
The microflora of Lower Eocene Krappfeld sediments (Austria) contains 4-8% zona-aperturate, tectate-columellate pollen grains (or isolated pollen 'halves') of undoubtedly angiosperm origin. In recent angiosperms zona-aperturate pollen is found only in some basal dicot and in some monocot genera; a dispersed fossil form genus with such features was described as Proxapertites. A detailed analysis of pollen characters of the Austrian Eocene zona-aperturate pollen shows strong structural analogies to modern zona-aperturate Araceae. Among species of Proxapertites at least P. operculatus is practically indistinguishable from our material. LM and EM studies show that the Eocene Krappfeld pollen and P. operculatus represent zona-aperturate pollen of Araceae (either Monstereae-Monsteroideae or Zamioculcadeae-Aroideae). Π2001 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.
- Organisation(s)
- Department of Palaeontology, Department of Botany and Biodiversity Research
- Journal
- Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
- Volume
- 117
- Pages
- 267-279
- No. of pages
- 13
- ISSN
- 0034-6667
- Publication date
- 2001
- Peer reviewed
- Yes
- Austrian Fields of Science 2012
- 105118 Palaeontology
- Portal url
- https://ucrisportal.univie.ac.at/en/publications/b8fa542f-3e8b-4e99-b471-5e5155ea1ef8