Fossil woods from the Oligocene of southwestern Patagonia (Río Leona Formation). Atherospermataceae, Myrtaceae, Leguminosae and Anacardiaceae

Abstract

Se estudian maderas fósiles provenientes de sedimentos oligocenos de la Formación Río Leona. Se describen una nueva morfoespecie de Myrceugenellites con afinidad a Myrtaceae y un nuevo morfogénero, semejante a Schinus (Anacardiaceae) que documenta la primera madera fósil de la Patagonia con esta afinidad. Las diagnosis de Laurelites doroteaensis de afinidad a Atherospermataceae y de Doroteoxylon vicente-perezii de afinidad a Leguminosae son enmendadas. Todas las maderas descriptas semejan la madera de especies actuales que habitan actualmente la Patagonia, a excepción de D. vicente-perezii cuya afinidad genérica permanece incierta.

Fossil woods from Oligocene Río Leona Formation were studied and described. A new morphospecies of Myrceugenellites with affinity to Myrtaceae was described and a new morphogenus, similar to Schinus (Anacardiaceae), was erected and documents the first fossil wood with this affinity from Patagonia. The diagnosis of Laurelites doroteaensis with affinity to Atherospermataceae and Doroteoxylon vicente-perezii with affinity to Leguminosae were amended. All the described woods resemble the wood of extant species that today inhabit Patagonia with the exception of D. vicente-perezii - the generic affinity of which remains uncertain.