Angiosperm Wood Research Articles

Charcoalified wood from the cenomanian of gard (Southern France): An insight into early angiosperm palaeoecology

The discovery in the Cenomanian (early Late Cretaceous) of Southern France of several localities with abundant charcoal has brought to light several angiosperm wood types. This is the oldest angiosperm wood assemblage discovered yet for Europe. Here we analyse this assemblage, with emphasis on features recognized to be of particular palaeoecological and climatic significance for the Cainozoic according to earlier studies and comparing the inferred results to those from other independent lines of evidence (sedimentology, palynology, isotopic geochemistry, etc.). Vessel diameter and distribution, perforation plates, abundance of vascular tracheids and of septate fibres, presence of diffuse axial parenchyma perhaps should not be used as palaeoecological proxies for the Cretaceous because they do not seem to clearly correlate with other lines of evidence that indicate warm tropical conditions. The abundance of fibre-tracheids fits with the other sources of data, but our results are probably biased by preservation problems. On the contrary, the occurrence of growth-rings, porosity, vessel density, occurrence of vessel groups, occurrence of vasicentric tracheids and of some paratracheal to vasicentric and banded axial parenchyma correlate well with other palaeoclimate indicators. These results show that these features can be used for palaeoclimatological inferences during the early Late Cretaceous

Novelties in the xylotaphoflora from Chiquimil Formation (Miocene), Catamarca-Argentina

The purpose of this study is to present two new records of angiosperm woods from Cerro Pampa locality in Catamarca province, Argentina. Chiquimil Formation, a fossiliferous unit composed of volcaniclastic sandstones with intercalated mudstones from the late Miocene, outcrops in this locality. Fabaceae Menendoxylon vasallensis Lutz and Paraalbizioxylon caccavarie Martínez woods have been formerly recorded in this fossiliferous site. In this work, the oldest record of Malvaceae for Argentina is presented and described: Bastardioxylon antiqua nov. gen. et sp. whose most distinctive feature is the presence of rays with sheath cells in the secondary wood. Furthermore, Menendoxylon lutzi nov. sp. has preserved a parenchymatic pith with the presence of arthropod coprolites and fungal filaments. These associated organisms provide useful information on the paleoenvironment that prevailed in the area and indicate warm and seasonally humid conditions which are –in turn– sustained by the data derived from fossil biota and sedimentology. The two new angiosperm woods records from Cerro Pampa extend the composition and distribution of the paleoxyloflora components in Santa María Group.

A new Cretaceous record of Platanoxylon (Platanaceae): the first Mesozoic angiosperm wood from China

Abstract A new record of Cretaceous platanaceous wood, Platanoxylon sp., is described from Keshan, Heilongjiang Province, Northeast China. The features indicating it belongs to Platanoxylon include: growth rings distinct, wood diffuse-porous, vessels numerous, solitary and in short radial or tangential multiples, perforation plates exclusively scalariform, intervessel pits opposite, elliptical, horizontally elongated, vessel-ray pits similar to intervessel pits, some fibers with distinctly bordered pits, axial parenchyma diffuse, rays mostly large homocellular multiseriate, rarely uniseriate, and crystals often in ray cells. Fossil platanaceous woods are common in the Northern Hemisphere. Yet, Platanoxylon sp. is China’s first report of fossil Platanaceae wood. It is also China’s first record of Cretaceous angiosperm wood. This wood and compression floras indicate that the Platanaceae were in northern China from the Late Cretaceous to the Eocene.

Erratum to: The Piedra Chamana fossil woods and leaves: a record of the vegetation and palaeoenvironment of the Neotropics during the late Middle Eocene.

Background and aims The Piedra Chamana fossil forest in northern Peru is an assemblage of angiosperm woods and leaves preserved in volcaniclastic rocks dated to 39 Mya (late Middle Eocene). We analysed the anatomical and morphological features of the fossils to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment during this time of global warmth, taking advantage of the co-occurrence of woods and leaves to compare different proxies and analytical approaches. Methods Wood characters analysed include vessel-related functional traits, traits linked to Baileyan trends, and quantitative features such as vessel diameter and density. Diameter-distribution and diameter and position plots are used to represent vessel diameter and arrangement. Leaf margin and area analysis provides additional climate estimates. Key results The fossil woods show many similarities with modern tropical-forest woods and tropical fossil-wood assemblages; closest correspondence within the Neotropics is to semi-deciduous lowland tropical forest with moderate precipitation (~1000-1200 mm). Features unusual for the modern South American tropics are mainly vessel-related characters (semi-ring porosity, grouped vessels, helical vessel thickenings, short vessel elements) linked to water stress or seasonal water availability. Leaf analysis indicates mean annual temperature of 31 °C (n = 19, 100 % entire-margined) and mean annual precipitation of 1290 mm (n = 22, predominantly microphylls and notophylls). Conclusions The palaeovegetation was clearly lowland tropical forest with a dry aspect, but anomalous aspects of the wood anatomy are consistent with the high temperatures indicated by the leaves and are probably explained by differences in seasonality and water stress compared to the present-day Neotropics. A close modern analogue may be in very seasonal regions of Asia. Pronounced monsoonal (summer-rain) conditions may relate to a location (palaeolatitude of 13°S) outside the near-equatorial tropics.

Three new species of Junghuhnia (Polyporales, Basidiomycota) from China.

In this study, taxonomic and phylogenetic analyses of Junghuhnia were performed. Three new species were characterised according to morphological characteristics and molecular phylogenetic analysis using ITS and nLSU sequences. They are J. austrosinensissp. nov., J. nandinaesp. nov. and J. subcollabenssp. nov.Junghuhnia austrosinensis is characterised by resupinate, thin basidiomata with white to buff-yellow hymenophore, small pores (9–11 per mm), clamped generative hyphae possessing hymenial cystidia, ellipsoid basidiospores (2.5–3 × 1.7–2 µm) and growth on fallen bamboo or angiosperm branch. Junghuhnia nandinae is characterised by resupinate basidiomata with pink to salmon pores and a distinct white margin, clamp generative hyphae, interwoven tramal hyphae, ellipsoid basidiospores measuring 2.6–3.2 × 1.8–2 µm and growth on Nandina domestica. Junghuhnia subcollabens is characterised by resupinate basidiomata with pale salmon to brownish vinaceous hymenophore, small pores (10–12 per mm), generative hyphae with simple septa and clamp connections, interwoven tramal hyphae, lunate basidiospores measuring 2.9–3.4 × 1.6–1.8 µm and thriving on rotten wood of angiosperms.

Marine and terrestrial invertebrate borings and fungal damage in Paleogene fossil woods from Seymour Island, Antarctica

ABSTRACT An assemblage of permineralized conifer and angiosperm woods collected from Paleogene marine strata on Seymour Island during the Swedish Antarctic expedition of 1901–1903 includes many specimens with internal damage caused by an array of xylophagous organisms. Short, broad, clavate borings referable to Gastrochaenolites clavatus are attributed to pholadid bivalves. Elongate borings with carbonate linings referable to Apectoichnus longissimus were produced by teredinid bivalves. Slender, cylindrical tunnels cross-cutting growth rings and backfilled in meniscoid fashion by frass composed of angular tracheid fragments were probably produced by a terrestrial beetle borer. They are most similar to tunnels generated by modern cerambycid and ptinid coleopterans. Less regular, spindle-shaped cavities and degraded zones flanking growth rings are similar to fungi-generated modern white pocket rot. Larger chambers in the heartwood referable to the ichnotaxon Asthenopodichnium lignorum were produced by an alternative mode of fungal degradation. The biological interactions evident in the fossil woods illustrate additional terrestrial trophic levels enhancing the known complexity of ecosystems on and around the Antarctic Peninsula shortly before the initial pulse of mid-Cenozoic glaciation in Antarctica that caused extirpation of the majority of plants and animals in that region.

Orbilia jesu-laurae (Ascomycota, Orbiliomycetes), a new species of neotropical nematode-trapping fungus from Puerto Rico, supported by morphology and molecular phylogenetics

Orbilia jesu-laurae is a new species of nematode-trapping fungus found on decorticated angiosperm wood in a tropical rainforest in Puerto Rico. The single specimen was studied from fresh apothecia and cultures. Morphology was studied and phylogenetic analysis (rDNA: ITS and LSU) was conducted using both sexual and asexual morphs. Nematodes were added to cultures to verify the formation and morphology of the trapping structures. Our results show that the species is in the Arthrobotrys clade, the phylogenetically closest relative being a possibly Mexican genotype with unknown morphology, erroneously referred to as Arthrobotrys musiformis in GenBank. Macro- and micromorphological, ecological and biogeographic data are provided along with a discussion of closely related species.Citation: Quijada L., Baral H.-O., Beltran-Tejera E. & Pfister D. H. 2020: Orbilia jesu-laurae (Ascomycota, Orbiliomycetes), a new species of neotropical nematode-trapping fungus from Puerto Rico, supported by morphology and molecular phylogenetics. – Willdenowia 50: 241–251.Version of record first published online on 2 June 2020 ahead of inclusion in August 2020 issue.

Three-Dimensional Exploration of Soft-Rot Decayed Conifer and Angiosperm Wood by X-Ray Micro-Computed Tomography

X-ray micro-computed tomography (XμCT) was used to explore the decomposed structure of conifer and angiosperm wood after colonization by soft-rot fungi. The visualization of degradation features of soft-rot decay was challenging to achieve through XμCT. Difficulties in visualization emerged due to a decreased grayscale contrast (i.e. X-ray density) of the degraded wood. Nevertheless, we were able to image fungal-induced cell deformations in earlywood and cavities in the thick wall of latewood cells in three-dimensions (3D). Unlike the organic wood material, the higher X-ray density of inorganic deposits, identified as mainly calcium-based particles by energy-dispersive spectroscopy, allowed a facilitated 3D survey. The visualization of inorganic particles in 3D revealed a localized distribution in certain cells in conifer and angiosperm found mostly in earlywood.

Hemicellulose binding and the spacing of cellulose microfibrils in spruce wood

Cellulose microfibrils in conifers, as in other woody materials, are aggregated into loose bundles called macrofibrils. The centre-to-centre spacing of the microfibrils within these macrofibrils can be estimated from the position of a broad diffraction peak in small-angle neutron scattering (SANS) after deuteration. A known spacing of 3.0 nm, increasing with moisture content, is consistent with direct microfibril to microfibril contact. However recent evidence indicates that conifer microfibrils are partially coated with bound xylan chains, and possibly with lignin and galactoglucomannan, implying a wider centre-to-centre spacing as found in angiosperm wood. Delignification of spruce wood allowed a weak SANS peak to be observed without measurable change in spacing. By deuterating spruce wood in mildly alkaline D2O and then re-equilibrating with ambient H2O, deuterium atoms were trapped in a position that gave a 3.8 nm microfibril spacing under dry conditions as in angiosperm wood, instead of the 3.0 nm spacing normally observed in conifers. After conventional vapour deuteration of spruce wood a minor peak at 3.8 nm could be fitted in addition to the 3.0 nm peak. These observations are consistent with some microfibril segments being separated by bound xylan chains as in angiosperms, in addition to the microfibril segments that are in direct contact.

The Piedra Chamana fossil woods and leaves: a record of the vegetation and palaeoenvironment of the Neotropics during the late middle Eocene.

The Piedra Chamana fossil forest in northern Peru is an assemblage of angiosperm woods and leaves preserved in volcaniclastic rocks dated to 39 Mya (late Middle Eocene). We analysed the anatomical and morphological features of the fossils to reconstruct the palaeoenvironment during this time of global warmth, taking advantage of the co-occurrence of woods and leaves to compare different proxies and analytical approaches. Wood characters analysed include vessel-related functional traits, traits linked to Baileyan trends, and quantitative features such as vessel diameter and density. Diameter-distribution and diameter and position plots are used to represent vessel diameter and arrangement. Leaf margin and area analysis provides additional climate estimates. The fossil woods show many similarities with modern tropical-forest woods and tropical fossil-wood assemblages; closest correspondence within the Neotropics is to semi-deciduous lowland tropical forest with moderate precipitation (~1000-1200 mm). Features unusual for the modern South American tropics are mainly vessel-related characters (semi-ring porosity, grouped vessels, helical vessel thickenings, short vessel elements) linked to water stress or seasonal water availability. Leaf analysis indicates mean annual temperature of 31 °C (n = 19, 100 % entire-margined) and mean annual precipitation of 1290 mm (n = 22, predominantly microphylls and notophylls). The palaeovegetation was clearly lowland tropical forest with a dry aspect, but anomalous aspects of the wood anatomy are consistent with the high temperatures indicated by the leaves and are probably explained by differences in seasonality and water stress compared to the present-day Neotropics. A close modern analogue may be in very seasonal regions of Asia. Pronounced monsoonal (summer-rain) conditions may relate to a location (palaeolatitude of 13°S) outside the near-equatorial tropics.

Egyptian Fossil Angiosperm Wood: A Guide to their Anatomical Identification

A FEW of the existing publications on Egyptian fossil plants provide special aids to identifying fossil wood remains. Two dichotomous keys to the angiosperm petrified wood species reported to date from the Egyptian strata are presented here to facilitate the tentative identification of angiosperm fossil wood specimens. The first key includes 19 species of Palmoxylon which is the morphogenus for the petrified palm stem that is the common representative of monocotyledones (Arecaceae) in the Egyptian fossil flora and can be identified to the species level. The second key contains 46 species of dicotyledonous petrified wood of different families reported in the literature from different ages and locations in Egypt. These keys would benefit palaeobotanists who might find the literature on Egyptian fossil wood not easily accessible.

New fossil woods from lower Cenozoic volcano‐sedimentary rocks of the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, and the implications for the trans‐Antarctic Peninsula Eocene climatic gradient

AbstractTen embedded fossil logs sampled in situ from the middle Eocene volcano‐sedimentary rocks close to Suffield Point in the Fildes Peninsula, King George Island, Antarctica, are assigned to Protopodocarpoxylon araucarioides Schultze‐Motel ex Vogellehner, Phyllocladoxylon antarcticum Gothan, Agathoxylon antarcticum (Poole & Cantrill) Pujana et al., A. pseudoparenchymatosum (Gothan) Pujana et al. and an unidentified angiosperm wood. Differences in the taxonomic representation and growth‐ring characters of the Eocene woods on King George Island and coeval assemblages from Seymour Island, on the western and eastern sides of the Antarctic Peninsula respectively, are interpreted to result from environmental and climatic gradients across the Peninsula Orogen during the early Palaeogene. In particular, a precipitation gradient inferred across the Peninsula at that time might have been induced by a rain‐shadow effect.

Late Paleocene woods from Cherokee Ranch, Colorado, U.S.A.

ABSTRACTFossil woods are common in the Late Cretaceous through early Eocene rocks of the Denver Basin, Colorado. The overwhelming majority of these woods are dicotyledonous angiosperms. A new locality for fossil woods, Cherokee Ranch, in the upper D1 stratigraphic sequence (Denver Formation) is described, and evidence for it being late Paleocene is reviewed. Most Cherokee Ranch woods resemble previously described Denver Basin angiosperm woods, but there is one new type of wood attributed to the family Lauraceae. A new genus, Ubiquitoxylon, is proposed for woods with the combination of features commonly seen in the Cherokee Ranch woods. Denver Basin Paleocene woods differ from Paleocene wood assemblages to the north (Wyoming and Montana), where conifer woods are common and angiosperms are rare. The width and spacing of the water-conducting vessels and the lack of distinct growth rings in almost all of the Cherokee Ranch woods suggest that these trees did not experience water stress, and there was no pronounced seasonality.

An early record of a vesselless angiosperm from the middle Cenomanian of the Envigne valley (Vienne, Western France)

ABSTRACTThousands of silicified wood fragments were recently collected from the middle Cenomanian of Vienne in western France at less than 10 km away from a historical locality where in 1870 the French geologist Alphonse Le Touzé de Longuemar reported silicified wood. The plant assemblage is very diverse, and includes several species of ferns, conifers, and angiosperms. We describe and discuss the systematic affinities of a new vesselless angiosperm. Many of its characters are shared by extant and fossil Winteraceae. Nevertheless, the absence of uniseriate rays makes the anatomy of these specimens unique. Its combination of characters justifies the establishment of a new genus of vesselless fossil angiosperm wood of uncertain affinity, Sherwinoxylon gen. nov.

Early angiosperm woods from the mid-Cretaceous (Turonian) of New Mexico, USA: Paraphyllanthoxylon, two new taxa, and unusual preservation

The fossil record of Cretaceous angiosperm wood is skewed toward the latest part of the period; most described taxa are based on specimens from Campanian or Maastrichtian sediments. The low percentage of pre-Campanian angiosperm woods relative to other flowering plant organs may reflect a taphonomic bias or the existence of relatively few woody angiosperm taxa until the last part of the Cretaceous. The discovery of three fossil angiosperm wood taxa in the Turonian Moreno Hill Formation of New Mexico offers additional data on the occurrence of secondary xylem in early angiosperms. These wood fossils represent a common Cretaceous wood taxon plus two new angiosperm wood types, and increase the number of known pre-Campanian wood types by 10–20%.Analyses of thin sections from a large (>50 cm diameter) silicified log at a locality in the lower Moreno Hill Formation reveal it is Paraphyllanthoxylon arizonense Bailey, a wood taxon known from Cenomanian and Maastrichtian to Paleocene sites in the American Southwest. Paraphyllanthoxylon arizonense represents large trees that may belong to Laurales. Several other sizeable logs in the same area are also likely to be P. arizonense. In contrast, two taxa from a stratigraphically higher site in the Moreno Hill have not been previously described and are each represented by only one specimen. These two new wood types, based upon small, phosphatic axes (5–7 cm in diameter), differ from Paraphyllanthoxylon in their smaller diameter vessels and scalariform perforation plates. The unique combinations of character states of these phosphatic specimens indicate that they are new genera. Although the taxonomic affinities of Herendeenoxylon zuniense gen. et sp. nov. are uncertain, it is possible that it belongs to the Ericales. The affinities of the other new wood type, Vasunum cretaceum gen. et sp. nov. are unknown.The presence of three angiosperm wood taxa in the Moreno Hill Formation is noteworthy because exposures of terrestrial Turonian deposits are uncommon. The large diameter and apparent abundance of P. arizonense in the lower member of the Moreno Hill Formation suggest that these trees were dominant members of woodland or forest habitats of the ancient coastal lowlands. The small diameters and scarcity of the other two wood types suggest that they came from shrubs or small trees that were not common.

A new species of Carlquistoxylon from the Early Cretaceous of Patagonia (Chubut province, Argentina): the oldest record of angiosperm wood from South America

ABSTRACT An angiospermous wood from the Lower Cretaceous (upper Albian) of the Cerro Barcino Formation, Chubut Group, central Patagonia, Argentina, is described. Its estimated minimum diameter is 40 cm and it is significant as the oldest known angiosperm wood for South America. It has indistinct growth ring boundaries, vessels solitary and in radial multiples, simple perforation plates, alternate intervessel pits, vessel-ray parenchyma pits oval to horizontally elongated, heterocellular rays, non-septate fibres, axial parenchyma absent, and abundant tyloses. Because this Albian wood has non-septate fibres we assign it to Carlquistoxylon, even though it has a general combination of characters similar to that of Paraphyllanthoxylon, which has septate fibres. The number of vessels per radial multiple, vessel tangential diameter and frequency, vessel-ray parenchyma pitting, and absence of axial parenchyma distinguish the fossil described here from the only previously known species of Carlquistoxylon: Carlquistoxylon nacimientense; therefore, a new species is erected. Because of the close similarities between this new specimen and Paraphyllanthoxylon species, comparisons with all the species included in both genera are provided. Systematic affinities for this wood are discussed considering previous discussions for both Paraphyllanthoxylon and Carlquistoxylon affinities. As the oldest described angiosperm wood in South America to date, this specimen provides critical information on the diversity and growth habit of Cretaceous angiosperms from the Southern Hemisphere.

Litseoxylon gen. nov. (Lauraceae): The most ancient fossil angiosperm wood with helical thickenings from southeastern Asia

New genus and species Litseoxylon nanningensis gen. et sp. nov. is described on the basis of well-preserved mummified fossil wood from the upper Oligocene Yongning Formation of the Nanning Basin, Guangxi, South China. Litseoxylon gen. nov. is convincingly placed into the Litsea complex, the core group of the tribe Laureae of the Lauraceae family, and has a remarkable similarity to the alliance of extant genera Litsea, Lindera, Actinodaphne and Neolitsea. The new genus represents the first lauraceous fossil wood of the Litsea complex. Litseoxylon nanningensis is the most ancient known fossil angiosperm wood with helical thickenings reported from southeastern Asia. This species provides important evidence for the southward spread of taxa having helical thickenings from northeastern Asia, presumably triggered by abrupt global cooling near the Eocene–Oligocene boundary.

Reappraisal of Greguss’ Fossil Wood Types and Figured Specimens from the Cenozoic of Hungary: Overview, Corrected Geology and Systematical Notes

Prof. Pál Greguss (*1889, †1984) was a leading figure in European (palaeo)xylotomy. His collection of types and figured specimens from the Cenozoic of Hungary published in the two monographs (Fossil gymnosperm woods in Hungary from the Permian to the Pliocene and Tertiary angiosperm woods in Hungary), now stored in the Palaeobotanical Collection of the Botanical Department in the Hungarian Natural History Museum in Budapest, is of great value. Many types were considered lost, but the present reappraisal, conducted by the first author during several visits to Budapest between 2009 and 2016, uncovered 18 types, 35 figured specimens and 1 additional specimen, 54 items in total. In the text, all specimens are briefly presented with their systematical attribution, information on their numbers, localities and their corrected geological age. The text is completed by two photo-plates and one summary table.

Dacryobolus angiospermarum (Polyporales, Basidiomycota), a new brown-rot corticioid species from southern China

A new corticioid species, Dacryobolus angiospermarum, is described and illustrated from southern China based on morphological and molecular evidence. The new species is similar to D. karstenii but differs in growing on angiosperm wood, having wider skeletal hyphae, and lacking hymenial cystidia. In the phylogenetic tree inferred from ITS and nrLSU sequence of Dacryobolaceae, D. angiospermarum formed a distinct lineage sister to the D. karstenii group. Samples of D. karstenii from southern China, north Europe and northwestern United States formed different lineages. However, no morphological characters can be used to distinguish them at present.

Three new species of Aleurodiscus s.l. (Russulales, Basidiomycota) from southern China.

Three new species of Aleurodiscus s.l. with corticioid basidiomata are described and illustrated from southern China based on morphological evidence and phylogenetic analyses of ITS and nrLSU sequence data. Aleurodiscusbambusinus was collected from Jiangxi Province on bamboo and is distinct by having a compact texture, simple-septate generative hyphae, abundant acanthophyses, basidia with acanthophysoid appendages and smooth basidiospores. Aleurodiscusisabellinus was collected from Yunnan Province on both angiosperm wood and bamboo and is distinct by having soft basidiomata with yellow to yellowish-brown hymenophore, yellow acanthophyses, simple-septate generative hyphae and smooth basidiospores. Aleurodiscussubroseus was collected from Guangxi Autonomous Region and Guizhou Province on angiosperm wood and is distinct by having pinkish basidiomata when fresh, clamped generative hyphae, clavate acanthophyses and echinulate basidiospores. In the phylogenetic tree, A.bambusinus and A.isabellinus were nested within the A.cerussatus group, whilst A.subroseus was clustered with A.wakefieldiae. An identification key to 26 species of Aleurodiscus s.l. in China is provided.