Normapolles flowers of fagalean affinity from the Late Cretaceous of Portugal

Abstract

Exquisitely preserved, charcoalified fossil flowers with in situ pollen of the Normapolles-type from the Late Cretaceous of Portugal are described and a new genus and species of Fagales, Normanthus miraensis, are established. Floral organization and structure of floral organs were studied with scanning electron microscopy and microtome sections. Flowers are actinomorphic, epigynous, and pentamerous; the perianth is simple; stamens alternate with tepals; pollen is oblate and vestibulate; the exine is thick and the tectum is scabrate-microgranulate; the gynoecium is bicarpellate and unilocular; the fruits are probably one-seeded. Comparisons with extant taxa demonstrate that N. miraensis shares many similarities with Fagales and in particular with Betulaceae. However, it is not identical with any extant taxon and cannot be included in any extant family. The combination of characters found in the fossil flowers is congruent with wind-pollination syndromes present in many extant angiosperms and clearly indicates wind-pollination of N. miraensis.