Abstract
Premise of research. Humiriaceae occupy predominantly Neotropical lowland rainforests, with only a single Old World species in western Africa. Molecular divergence time estimates suggest that the family might have originated during the middle Cretaceous; however, fossil occurrences are lacking prior to the Paleocene. Here we provide new fossil evidence that expands our understanding of the paleobiogeographic history and evolution of this family.Methodology. Fossil endocarps and wood were compared with extant relatives of the family. Transverse and longitudinal sections of fossil and modern fruits were studied anatomically and morphologically.Pivotal results. Fruits of the new species, Duckesia berryi sp. n., from the Oligocene of Pacific coastal Peru (ca. 30–28.5 Ma), provide the earliest fossil evidence of Duckesia—the genus is now confined to Amazonia. We also document the earliest fossil fruit record for Sacoglottis tertiaria, from the early Oligocene (ca. 33.9–28.4 Ma) of Puerto Rico, and a new occurr...
Sign-in/Register to access full text options 
Talk to us
Join us for a 30 min session where you can share your feedback and ask us any queries you have
Schedule a callDisclaimer: All third-party content on this website/platform is and will remain the property of their respective owners and is provided on "as is" basis without any warranties, express or implied. Use of third-party content does not indicate any affiliation, sponsorship with or endorsement by them. Any references to third-party content is to identify the corresponding services and shall be considered fair use under The CopyrightLaw.
