Open AccessPhantophlebia dicycla gen. et sp. nov., a five-merous fossil flower in mid-Cretaceous Myanmar amber
Author(s) -
George Poinar,
Kenton L. Chambers
Publication year - 2020
Publication title -
journal of the botanical research institute of texas
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.316
H-Index - 22
eISSN - 2644-1608
pISSN - 1934-5259
DOI - 10.17348/jbrit.v14.i1.898
Subject(s) - tepal , perianth , primulaceae , biology , botany , gynoecium , stamen , cretaceous , genus , pollen , paleontology
A fossil flower in mid-Cretaceous amber from Myanmar (Burma) is described as the new genus and species Phantophlebia dicycla. The perianth of the flower is composed of two 5-merous whorls of tepals, the outer tepals being smaller and more irregular in shape than the inner. All the tepals are distinctly vascularized, with few to many major veins that are connected above by an irregular network of veinlets. The flower’s 5 stamens are opposite the inner tepals, with bilocular anthers that dehisce by latrorse, oblique slits. No gynoecium can be seen beneath the air bubble covering the center of the flower. The fossil shares some characteristics with myrsinoid members of family Primulaceae.