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Early Eocene Ripogonum (Liliales: Ripogonaceae) leaf macrofossils from southern Australia

journal contribution
posted on 2023-05-17, 01:01 authored by Conran, JG, Carpenter, RJ, Gregory JordanGregory Jordan
We present evidence that fossil leaves from an early Eocene estuarine mudstone deposit at Lowana Road in western Tasmania include the oldest records of the extant monocot genus, Ripogonum (Ripogonaceae). These fossils are similar to the extant eastern Australian and Papua New Guinean R. album R.Br. and New Zealand R. scandens J.R. et G.Forst., and are described as a new species, R. tasmanicum Conran, R.J.Carp. & G.J.Jord. The venation, cuticular and other leaf features of this fossil are included in a morphology-based phylogenetic analysis for the genus, and character evolution is discussed in relation to the ecology of the extant species and the palaeoenvironments of known Ripogonaceae fossil sites. The fossil (albeit on leaf characters) was placed close to the base of a black-fruited, Australian endemic Ripogonum clade. This suggests that the family have a long and conservative evolutionary history in association with moist forests, with the fossil locality showing palaeoclimate similar to the environments that most Ripogonum species still occupy today.

History

Publication title

Australian Systematic Botany

Volume

22

Pagination

219-228

ISSN

1030-1887

Department/School

School of Natural Sciences

Publisher

CSIRO Publishing

Place of publication

Australia

Rights statement

Copyright 2009 CSIRO

Repository Status

  • Restricted

Socio-economic Objectives

Terrestrial biodiversity

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