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A fossil fern indicator of epiphytism in a Tertiary flora

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  08 November 2000

IMOGEN POOLE  and
CHRISTOPHER N. PAGE
IMOGEN POOLE
Affiliation:
Geochemistry, Earth Sciences, Utrecht University, PO Box 80021, 3508 TA Utrecht, The Netherlands
CHRISTOPHER N. PAGE
Affiliation:
Cornwall Geological Museum, Alverton Street, Penzance, Cornwall TR18 2QR, UK
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Abstract

The first known indicator of probable fern epiphytism in the Tertiary fossil record is documented from the Eocene London Clay of southeast England. This pyritised fern rachis exhibits major deviation from the basic form of petiolar vascular trace morphology shown by the other London Clay fossil ferns and is here attributed to the Polypodiaceae. This represents the first known occurrence of this family in the London Clay macroflora, and brings the total of distinct fern rachis types from the Lower Tertiary of southeast England to six. The significance of this find is interpreted in relation to its probable origins from a tropical rainforest palaeoflora in which it is proposed that this specimen represents the first occurrence of an epiphytic component.

Keywords

palaeobotanyrachisstipeEoceneLondon ClayPolypodiaceaeepiphyte
Type
Research article
Information
The New Phytologist , Volume 148 , Issue 1 , October 2000 , pp. 117 - 125
Copyright
© Trustees of the New Phytologist 2000

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