Abstract
Abstract—Fossil fruits ofSymplocos(Ericales: Symplocaceae) are here recognized from the Pliocene of Guasca, Colombia, based on specimens formerly attributed toCordia(Cordiaceae, Boraginales).Symplocos vera(Berry) comb. nov. is represented by 19 lignitized fruits. The fossils are recognized as belonging toSymplocosprimarily by their woody endocarps that are apically truncate and that possess 3 to 5 apical germination pores and locules, and a central vascular canal extending the length of the endocarp. In several key characters they are highly congruent with the endocarps of the extant Neotropical cladeS.ser.Symplocos. Some of the extant species in the series are variably 3- to 5-locular; 4-locular endocarps are otherwise rare inSymplocos, and 5-locular endocarps appear to be unique to this series.Symplocos verais the only specifically named record of fossilSymplocosfruits with accessible voucher specimens from South America. The younger Neogene age of the fossils relative to those attributed toS.ser.Symplocosfrom the late Eocene of Texas, along with a report of Colombian fossil endocarps from the middle Miocene, supports the North America to South America migration inferred for this clade from molecular phylogenetic data.
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