piranha Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 This is an unusual late Oligocene (~27 Mya) cluster of Trochodendron capsules (dehiscent fruits) with pedicel attachment. This taxon is extinct in North America and the only living species are found in a few localities in southeast Asia. Trochodendraceae is quite interesting as the two living taxa share the characteristic of vessel-free secondary xylem (wood). Whether this places Trochodendron as a primitive angiosperm or just a secondarily derived evolutionary trait is still undecided. Trochodendron sp. Little Butte Volcanics Oligocene, Central Oregon Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Indy Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 Oh, that is so cool Outside my area of expertise and focused research, however, anytime I see something that I have not seen before is exciting. Scott, You did a wonderful presentation and very much enjoyed seeing the fossil and reference like pages in a book! KUDOS Barry Flash from the Past (Show Us Your Fossils)MAPS Fossil Show Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
xonenine Posted August 22, 2011 Share Posted August 22, 2011 awesome, one of my favorites so far!!! "Your serpent of Egypt is bred now of your mud by the operation of your sun; so is your crocodile." Lepidus Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Fossildude19 Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Fabulous flora, Scott! Thanks for showing this - very cool indeed. Regards, Tim - VETERAN SHALE SPLITTER VFOTM --- APRIL - 2015 __________________________________________________ "In every walk with nature one receives far more than he seeks." John Muir ~ ~ ~ ~ ><))))( *> About Me Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Auspex Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 New to me, and intensely interesting; One of your best presentations, perfesser! "There has been an alarming increase in the number of things I know nothing about." - Ashleigh Ellwood Brilliant “Try to learn something about everything and everything about something.” - Thomas Henry Huxley >Paleontology is an evolving science. >May your wonders never cease! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bullsnake Posted August 23, 2011 Share Posted August 23, 2011 Your finds never cease to amaze me! When I saw the reference you posted, it reminds me of Velvetleaf (Abutilon theophrasti). So, in my uneducatedness(?) in these matters, I started looking for a connection. I think I found a tie in subclass Dilleniidae, so, I was wondering if the Velvetleaf is a descendant of what you found. Or is a subclass too broad, or general, of a classification factor to determine? All the best, Steve http://aob.oxfordjournals.org/content/82/4/413.abstract http://plants.usda.gov/java/ClassificationServlet?source=profile&symbol=ABTH&display=63 Steve Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
piranha Posted August 23, 2011 Author Share Posted August 23, 2011 Steve, That is spot-on the money actually. Dilleniaceae figures prominently on the taxa tree next to Trochodendraceae. Certain primitive characteristics of node anatomy, fruit morphology and seeds suggest a close relationship between Trochodendrales and Dilleniales. You nailed it sir! Thanks everyone for the superb feedback! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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