Tiny pollen grains: first evidence of Saururaceae from the Late Cretaceous of western North America.

ABSTRACT:

Background

The Saururaceae, a very small family of Piperales comprising only six species in four genera, have a relatively scanty fossil record outside of Europe. The phylogenetic relationships of the four genera to each other are resolved, with the type genus Saururus occurring in both eastern North America and East Asia. No extant species occurs in western Eurasia. The most exceptional find so far has been an inflorescence with in-situ pollen, Saururus tuckerae S.Y.Sm. & Stockey from Eocene of North America with strong affinities to extant species of Saururus. Recent dated trees suggest, however, an Eocene or younger crown age for the family.

Methods

Dispersed fossil pollen grains from the Campanian (82-81 Ma) of North America are compared to di

SUBMITTER: Grimsson F 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC5472062 | biostudies-literature | 2017

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature