Prumnopitys anglica sp. nov. (Podocarpaceae) from the Eocene of England

Abstract

Leaves from the Eocene Bournemouth Freshwater Beds of southern England assigned originally to the genus Podocarpus L'Hér. ex Pers. (Podocarpaceae) as Podocarpus eocenicus Unger-currently treated as Amentotaxus gladifolia (R. Ludwig) D.K. Ferguson, Jähnichen & Alvin-are re-examined to assess their generic and familial status. Well-preserved cuticle on one specimen and its gross morphology, together with the morphology of other associated specimens suggests that they should be placed in Prumnopitys Philippi (Podocarpaceae), the long, lanceolate leaves resembling Pr. amara (Blume) de Laub. (= Sundacarpus amarus (Blume) C.N. Page). Because the fossil taxon is consistent with the genus Prumnopitys and not with Amentotaxus gladifolia (Taxaceae), a new species, Prumnopitys anglica D.R. Greenw., C.R. Hill & Conran sp. nov., is proposed. Phylogenetic comparison with other Prumnopitys species suggests that Pr. anglica is close to the extant Australasian species, Pr. amara but is still relatively isolated. The presence of Prumnopitys in the earliest Palaeocene of Asia and the Eocene of southern England supports the view that Podocarpaceae were an uncommon but distinctive component of Northern Hemisphere Late Cretaceous and Palaeogene floras before becoming largely extinct there in the Neogene.