Phytogeography and Fossil History of Ailanthus (Simaroubaceae)статья из журнала
Аннотация: In the fossil record, Ailanthus (Simaroubaceae) is easily recognized on the basis of winged fruits (samaroid mericarps with a centrally placed seed) and leaves with distinct basal glands and is well represented in the Northern Hemisphere Tertiary. We review worldwide Ailanthus records from the literature and from observations of paleobotanical collections, make suggestions for nomenclature, highlight youngest and oldest stratigraphic occurrences, and infer the geographic origin of the genus. Traditionally, species epithets were applied to Ailanthus fossils on the basis of their geographic origin. Because of morphological homogeneity of the fruits found in Europe, North America, and Asia, we propose synonomy of most occurrences under the name Ailanthus confucii Unger. We found earliest examples in the Early Eocene of North America and Asia and in the Middle Eocene of Europe. Youngest occurrences were found from the Middle Miocene of North America, the Pliocene of Europe, and the Pleistocene of Asia. The stratigraphic and geographic records of Ailanthus favor a western North American or eastern Asian origin by the Early Eocene and subsequent diversification in Europe. However, there is no fossil evidence to explain the directionality and timing of the dispersal between the Northern and Southern Hemispheres. According to the chemical and molecular evidence of previous authors, Ailanthus is positioned basally within the Simaroubaceae. Therefore, the Ailanthus fossil record indicates a minimum age of Early Eocene for the Simaroubaceae.
Год издания: 2004
Авторы: Sarah L. Corbett, Steven R. Manchester
Издательство: University of Chicago Press
Источник: International Journal of Plant Sciences
Ключевые слова: Plant Diversity and Evolution, Plant and Fungal Species Descriptions, Fern and Epiphyte Biology
Открытый доступ: closed
Том: 165
Выпуск: 4
Страницы: 671–690