Valviloculus pleristaminis gen. et sp. nov., a Lauralean fossil flower with valvate anthers from mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber
DOI:
https://doi.org/10.17348/jbrit.v14.i2.1014Abstract
The flower described here as Valviloculus pleristaminis, a new genus and species of fossil angiosperms, was obtained from Myanmar amber deposits dating to the mid-Cretaceous period. The flower is staminate, with an ovoid, hollow floral cup. The perianth consists of 6 tepals, one of which was lost prior to preservation. Numerous helically arranged stamens are borne at the summit of the flower. The anthers are bilocular, with pollen sacs that dehisce by laterally hinged valves. The tip of the connective bears a cup-shaped appendage. The gynoecium is represented only by a cluster of vestigial styles centered among the stamens. The fossil is provisionally assigned to order Laurales, its closest affinities being with the families Monimiaceae and Atherospermataceae.
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