documenta naturae Nr. 155 part 10
Z. KVAČEK, V. TEODORIDIS & H.-J. GREGOR:
The Pliocene leaf flora of Auenheim, Northern Alsace (France)
108 p., 2 fig., 1 tab., app, 24 pl.
München 2008
ISBN 978-3-86544-452-3
39 EUR
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Leaf epidermal and detailed morphological evaluation of selected leaf morphotypes collected by the late Fritz Geissert in the Pliocene of N Alsace is presented. The specimens drive from the "leaf bed" within the main fossiliferous layer of N Alsace once exposed in the sand and gravel quarry at Auenheim. The mummified leaves show excellent venation details and epidermal structures at maceration or by epifluorescence microscopy, which contributes to the understanding of systematic affinities. The leaf assemblage at our disposal consists of 10 gymnosperms and 51 angiosperms. Additions to the previously announced genera are leaf remains of Tsuga, Pseudotsuga, Cathaya, Sassafras, Dombeyopsis and Trichosanthes. The vegetation type corresponds to a well-diversified temperate mixed coniferous and broad-leaved forest almost without evergreen woody elements (except Ilex and Buxus). Many exotic deciduous plants have been recovered that are typical of temperate humid climate without much pronounced freezing season known mainly from the present forests of the middle latitude East Asia and Atlantic North America. By its composition the Alsace leaf assemblage is most similar to that from the Pliocene flora excavated from the exposure for the clearing reservoir at Niederrad near Frankfurt u. M.