The type specimen of Debeya (Dewalquea) haldemiana rediscovered. -Acta Mus

Abstract. The rediscovered specimen MGUWr 7536p, one of the syntypes of Dewalquea haldemiana, is described. It is selected as the lectotype of Debeya (Dewalquea) haldemiana (DEBEY ex SAPORTA et MARION 1873) HALAMSKI 2013 and of Debeya (Dewalquea) haldemiana var. haldemiana. It is the most complete and best preserved known specimen of the species. It allows supplementation of previous description of the following characters: brochidodromous secondary venation; acuminate leaflet apices; variation of the petiolule length from 0 (leaflets subsessile) to 30 mm; ramified tertiary venation. Other species considered up to now to belong to the same subgenus possess percurrent tertiary venation; a doubt is therefore expressed about the validity of the present circumscription of Debeya (Dewalquea). Additonally, validation of the previously published name Debeya (Dewalquea) haldemiana var. angustifolia (HOSIUS et VON DER MARCK 1880) HALAMSKI comb. nov. is presented. n Angiospermae, Debeya, palaeobotany, taxonomy

Fire-prone plant communities and palaeoclimate of a Late Cretaceous fluvial to estuarine environment, Pecinov quarry, Czech Republic

The botanical identity and facies distribution of fossil charcoal is described from Middle to Late Cenomanian (90–94 Ma) fluvial to estuarine units at Pecínov quarry, near Prague, Czech Republic. Braided alluvial facies associations contain charred conifer woods (family Pinaceae) possibly derived from upland forest fires, and abundant charred angiosperm woods, flowers and inflorescences (families Lauraceae and ?Platanaceae) derived from riparian gallery forest fires (Unit 2). Retrogradational coastal salt marsh facies associations contain abundant charred conifer wood (families Cheirolepidiaceae and Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae) derived from fires in halophytic backswamp forest, and rare pinaceous charred cones and lauraceous angiosperm wood washed downstream from fires further inland (Units 3–4). Progradational coastal facies associations within an estuary mouth setting contain abundant charred conifer wood (family Cupressaceae/Taxodiaceae), common taxodiaceous conifer and angiosperm leaves, fern rachises, and lycopsid stems derived from fires in mesic backswamp taxodiaceous forests and supra-tidal fern-lycopsid thickets (Unit 5). Growth rings in angiosperm and conifer woods, leaf physiognomy and computer models indicate that climate was equable, warm and humid, but that there was a short annual dry season; most fires probably occurred during these annual drought periods. The abundance of charcoal and the diversity of taxa preserved in this state indicate that nearly all plant communities were fire-prone. Physiognomically, the Pecínov flora resembles present-day seasonally-dry subtropical forests where fires are a common occurrence

Early Angiosperm Ecology: Evidence from the Albian-Cenomanian of Europe

• Background and Aims The mid-Cretaceous is a period of sudden turnover from gymnosperm to angiosperm-dominated floras. The aim was to investigate the fossil plant ecology in order to follow the spread of angiosperm taxa

Two fossil conifer species from the neogene of alonissos island (Iliodroma, Greece) [Deux espèces de conifères fossiles du Néogène de l’île d'Alonissos (Liadrómia, Grèce)]

Alonissos (Iliodroma) Island is really famous to palaeobotanists because of the type locality of Glyptostrobus europaeus (Brongniart) Unger only. Since the first report of the latter holotype no palaeobotanical work has taken place in Alonissos. This is the first research of the fossiliferous locality, along with new palaeobotanical, palynological and gastropod findings, revealed after 200 years. Among the collected material, a xylitic specimen was studied and identified as Pinuxylon alonissianum Man-tzouka & Sakala, sp. nov. The presence of this species points to botanical affinities with sections of Diploxylon Pines (Pinus leiophylla var. chihuahuana (Engelm.) Shaw, P. arizonica Engelm., P. arizonica var. cooperi (C.E.Blanco) Farjon, P. engelmannii Carrière and P. jeffreyi Balf.) especially from Central America (Sierra Madre Occidental and Oriental of Mexico, Arizona, California, Oregon and Sierra Nevada). This is the first research of this kind revealing as the Nearest Relative bioprovince of the studied Greek fossil pine wood Central America and not Himalayas or Asia. Moreover, a palynological study and an analysis of fossil molluscs were carried out for the first time, giving more data regarding the palaeovegetation and palaeoclimate of the area. Finally, the holotype of Glyptostrobus europaeus (Brongniart) Unger, housed in the collections of the Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris (MNHN), is found, photographed and presented for the first time. © Publications scientifiques du Muséum national d’Histoire naturelle, Paris