Cunninghamia hornbyensis sp nov.: Permineralized twigs and leaves from the Upper Cretaceous of Hornby Island, British Columbia, Canada

Cunninghamia R. Brown ex. Richard is a cupressaceous arborescent conifer known from the Early Cretaceous to the Recent. Twelve specimens of permineralized leaves of Cunninghamia were identified from Late Cretaceous (Campanian) sediments on Hornby Island, British Columbia. The fossils, preserved in calcareous concretions, were examined using the cellulose acetate peel technique. The specimens are distinct from other Cunninghamia and Cunninghamia-like plants in that they appear to have a smooth leaf margin and are mostly epistomatic. The fossil leaves closely resemble the two extant species of Cunninghamia, C. lanceolata (Lambert) Hooker and C. konishii Hayata, in that they are helically arranged, some with incurved tips, and have similar leaf and stem anatomy. The Hornby Island leaves are compared to previously described extant and fossil Cunninghamia and leaves of Cunninghamiostrobus Stopes et Fujii with respect to internal anatomy. The Hornby specimens show a unique combination of characters and are described as a new species of Cunninghamia, C. hornbyensis. The presence of Cunninghamia-like plants in British Columbia demonstrates that these conifers were much more widespread in the Cretaceous than previously recognized. (C) 2009 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.