Abstract Detail

Paleobotany

Liu, Xiaoyan [1], Quan, Cheng [2], Jin, Jianhua [3].

Mummified fruits of Fagaceae from the Oligocene of Guangxi, South China.

Fagaceae is one of the largest and most economically important groups within the order Fagales with nearly 927 living species, and is widely distributed in temperate, subtropical and tropical regions of both the Northern and Southern hemispheres. Molecular evidence shows that the family is a monophyletic group and subdivision into two subfamilies: Fagoideae K. Koch and Castaneoideae Oerst. The fossil records suggest that the fagaceous fossils have been reported throughout the Eocene strata of East Asia, North America and Europe. In China, those from the northeastern, eastern and southwestern areas were mainly studied. However, the corresponding report on Fagaceae fossils from the lowest latitude of South China is limited. In addition, previous fossil records are mainly compressions, including leaves and fruits. Three-dimensional preserved mummified fossil fruits are rare. In this study, we investigated abundant mummified fruits of Fagaceae from the Oligocene of Nanning Basin, Guangxi Province, South China, including Quercus L. (subgenus Cyclobalanopsis), Lithocarpus Bl., Castanopsis (D. Don) Spach. We use CT scanning studied and reconstructed three-dimensional inner and outer characters of the fruits of Quercus and Lithocarpus. Discovery of such abundant mummified fagaceous fruits from the Oligocene of Guangxi, South China provides significant evidence for the palaeogeography of the family and implications for the reconstruction of paleoclimate and paleoenvironment.

1 - South China Normal University, School of Geography Sciences, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510631, China
2 - Chang’an University, School of Earth Science and Resources, Xi’an, Shaanxi, 710054, China
3 - Sun Yat-sen University, School Of Life Sciences, 135 Xingangxi Road, Guangzhou, Guangdong, 510275, China

Keywords:
Guangxi
Nanning Basin
oligocene
Fagaceae
Mummified fruits.

Presentation Type: Oral Paper
Session: PAL4, Paleobotany IV: Paleogene Paleobotany
Location: Tucson C/Starr Pass
Date: Tuesday, July 30th, 2019
Time: 5:15 PM
Number: PAL4007
Abstract ID:386
Candidate for Awards:None