FOSSIL FLOWERS AND POLLEN OF LAURACEAE FROM THE UPPER CRETACEOUS OF NEW-JERSEY

A fossil trimerous flower from the Turonian (ca. 90 MYBP, Upper Cretaceous) of New Jersey is described as a new genus in the family Lauraceae. The fossil flower is charcoalified and preserved in exceptional detail. This fossil specimen is particularly remarkable in that several pollen grains have been preserved; pollen grains of Lauraceae generally have very thin exine and are rarely preserved in the fossil record. Although the specimen is incomplete and lacks anthers, there are sufficient structural details preserved to permit an assignment to the Lauraceae, as well as comparisons with the tribe Perseeae. This new genus provides an important addition to our knowledge of systematic and structural diversity in Cretaceous Lauraceae.