2024 in paleobotany

Source: Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia.
List of years in paleobotany
In paleontology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In arthropod paleontology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In paleoentomology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In paleomalacology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In reptile paleontology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In archosaur paleontology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In mammal paleontology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027
In paleoichthyology
2021
2022
2023
2024
2025
2026
2027

This

taxa that were to be described
during the year 2024, as well as notes other significant paleobotany discoveries and events which occurred during 2024.

Algae

Chlorophytes

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Bediaella[1]

Gen. et sp. nov

Ernst, Vachard & Rodríguez

Devonian (Pragian)

 Spain

A probable member of Dasycladales. The type species is B. hispanica.

Phycological research

  • Putative dasycladalean alga Voronocladus dryganti from the Silurian of Ukraine is argued by LoDuca (2024) to be a member of Bryopsidales; the author also reinterprets purported graptolite-like epibionts of V. dryganti, originally described as the new taxon Podoliagraptus algaeoides, as actually representing the uppermost siphons of mature thalli of V. dryganti.[2]
  • A diverse charophyte flora, including fossil material of Echinochara cf. peckii representing the oldest record of the family Clavatoraceae reported to date, is described from the Middle Jurassic (Bathonian) marginal marine beds of southern France by Trabelsi, Sames & Martín-Closas (2024).[3]

Lycophytes

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Selaginellites argentinensis[4]

Sp. nov

Cariglino, Zavattieri & Lara

Triassic

 Argentina

A member of the family

Selaginellaceae
.

Ferns and fern allies

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Cystodium parasorbifolium[5]

Sp. nov

Li & Moran in Guo et al.

Cretaceous

Burmese amber

 Myanmar

A member of the family

Cystodiaceae
.

Henanotheca qingyunensis[6]

Sp. nov

Valid

Guo, Zhou & Feng in Guo et al.

Permian (Lopingian)

Xuanwei Formation

 China

A filicalean fern.

Hexaphyllostrobus[7]

Gen. et sp. nov

D'Antonio et al.

Carboniferous

Mazon Creek fossil beds

 United States

A member of Sphenophyllales. Genus includes new species H. kostorhysii.

Palaeosorum siwalikum[8]

Sp. nov

Valid

Kundu, Hazra & Khan in Kundu et al.

Miocene

 India

A member of the family Polypodiaceae. Announced in 2023; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2024.

Pteridological research

  • A study on the phylogenetic relationships of extant and fossil members of Cyatheales, and on the biogeography of the group throughout its evolutionary history, is published by Ramírez-Barahona (2024).[9]
  • Machado et al. (2024) describe fossil material of Pteridium sp. cf. P. esculentum from the Miocene Ñirihuau Formation (Argentina) representing the oldest and southernmost record of Pteridium from South America reported to date.[10]

Bennettitales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Weltrichia huitzilopochtlii[11]

Comb. nov

(Wieland)

Early Jurassic (Toarcian)

Rosario Formation

 Mexico

A member of Bennettitales. Moved from Williamsonia huitzilopochtli Wieland.

Williamsoniella rosarensis[12]

Sp. nov

Velasco de León et al.

Early-Middle Jurassic

Cualac Formation

 Mexico

A member of Bennettitales belonging to the family Williamsoniaceae.

Conifers

Cupressaceae

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Amurodendron[13]

Gen. et sp. nov

Valid

Sokolova et al.

Paleocene

 Russia
( Amur Oblast)

A conifer with affinities with the family Cupressaceae. The type species is A. pilosum. Published online in 2024, but the issue date is listed as December 2023.

Cupressoxylon dianneae[14]

Sp. nov

Vanner et al.

Cretaceous

Tupuangi Formation

 New Zealand

Pinaceae

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Paranothotsuga[15]

Gen. et comb. nov

Valid

Kowalski in Kowalski et al.

Oligocene to Pliocene

Cottbus Formation

 Germany

The type species is "Pseudotsuga" jechorekiae Czaja (2000).

Tsuga weichangensis[16]

Sp. nov

In press

Li et al.

Miocene

 China

A species of Tsuga.
Announced in Feb 2023, formally published Jan 2024

Podocarpaceae

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Protophyllocladoxylon jacobusii[14]

Sp. nov

Vanner et al.

Cretaceous

Tupuangi Formation

 New Zealand

Other conifers

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Cratoxylon[17]

Gen. et sp. nov

Conceição et al.

Early Cretaceous

Crato Formation

 Brazil

A member of Pinidae of uncertain affinities. The type species is C. placidoi. The name is preoccupied by Cratoxylon Blume.

Ourostrobus einbergensis[18]

Sp. nov

Valid

Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al.

Late Triassic (Rhaetian)

 Germany

A conifer cone.

Shanxiopitys[19]

Gen. et sp. nov

Valid

Shi et al.

Permian (Lopingian)

Sunjiagou Formation

 China

A conifer wood. The type species is S. zhangziensis.

Sphaerostrobus einbergensis[18]

Sp. nov

Valid

Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al.

Late Triassic (Rhaetian)

 Germany

A conifer cone.

Conifer research

  • Xie, Gee & Griebeler (2024) use growth models based on the height–diameter relationships of extant araucarians to determine heights of araucariaceous logs from the Upper Jurassic Morrison Formation (Utah, United States).[20]

Flowering plants

Monocots

Arecales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Palmoxylon coryphaoides[21]

Sp. nov

Valid

Ali, Roy & Khan in Ali et al.

Cretaceous-Paleocene (Maastrichtian-Danian)

Deccan Intertrappean Beds

 India

Fossil wood of a member of the family Arecaceae.

Sabalites siwalicus[22]

Sp. nov

Valid

Mahato & Khan

Miocene

Chunabati Formation

 India

Published online in 2024, but the issue date is listed as December 2023.

Spinopinnophyllum[23]

Gen. et sp. nov

Kumar, Su & Khan in Kumar et al.

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)-Paleocene (Danian)

Deccan Intertrappean Beds

 India

A member of the family Arecaceae. The type species is S. acanthorachis.

Dioscoreales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Dioscorea lindgrenii[24]

Sp. nov

In press

Herrera & Manchester

Eocene

Green River Formation

 United States
( Wyoming)

A species of Dioscorea.

Dioscorea shermanii[24]

Sp. nov

In press

Herrera & Manchester

Eocene

Green River Formation

 United States
( Wyoming)

A species of Dioscorea.

Poales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Sparganium tuberculatum[15]

Sp. nov

Valid

Kowalski in Kowalski et al.

Miocene

Spremberg Formation

 Germany

A species of Sparganium.

Superasterids

Ericales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Pterosinojackia[15]

Gen. et sp. nov

Valid

Kowalski in Kowalski et al.

Oligocene to Miocene

 Germany

A member of the family Styracaceae. The type species is P. lusatica.

Gentianales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Aspidospermoxylon guatambue[25]

Sp. nov

Ramos et al.

Pleistocene

El Palmar Formation

 Argentina

Fossil wood of a member of the family Apocynaceae.

Aspidospermoxylon paleoneuron[25]

Sp. nov

Ramos et al.

Pleistocene

El Palmar Formation

 Argentina

Fossil wood of a member of the family Apocynaceae.

Superrosids

Fabales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Hymenaeaphyllum[26]

Gen. et sp. nov

Hernández-Damián, Rubalcava-Knoth & Cevallos-Ferriz

Miocene

La Quinta Formation
(Mexican amber)

 Mexico

A member of the subfamily

Detarieae
. The type species is H. mirandae.

Mezoneuron zhekunii[27]

Sp. nov

Zhao, Jia & Su in Zhao et al.

Miocene

Sanhaogou Formation

 China

A species of Mezoneuron.

Fagales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Juglans cordata[28]

Sp. nov

Manchester et al.

Eocene

Buchanan Lake Formation

 Canada
( Nunavut)

A species of Juglans.

Juglans eoarctica[28]

Sp. nov

Manchester et al.

Eocene

Buchanan Lake Formation

 Canada
( Nunavut)

A species of Juglans.

Juglans nathorstii[28]

Sp. nov

Manchester et al.

Eocene

Buchanan Lake Formation

 Canada
( Nunavut)

A species of Juglans.

Morella stoppii[15]

Comb. nov

Valid

(Kirchheimer)

Miocene

 Germany

A member of the family Myricaceae; moved from Myrica stoppii Kirchheimer (1942).

Malpighiales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Passiflora axsmithii[29]

Sp. nov

Stults, Hermsen & Starnes

Oligocene

Catahoula Formation

 United States
( Mississippi)

A species of Passiflora.

Myrtales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Andesanthus risaraldense[30]

Sp. nov

Ayala-Usma & Lozano-Gutiérrez in Ayala-Usma et al.

Pleistocene

 Colombia

A species of Andesanthus.

Qualeoxylon lafila[31]

Sp. nov

Woodcock

Eocene

 Peru

Fossil wood with affinities with the family Vochysiaceae.

Terminalioxylon gumminae[30]

Sp. nov

Ayala-Usma & Lozano-Gutiérrez in Ayala-Usma et al.

Pleistocene

 Colombia

Fossil wood of a member of the family Combretaceae.

Rosales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Ziziphoxylon sayaz[32]

Sp. nov

Valid

Akkemik in Akkemik & Toprak

Miocene (Burdigalian-Serravallian)

Mut Formation

 Turkey

Fossil wood of a member of the family Rhamnaceae.

Sapindales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Anacardium quindiuense[30]

Sp. nov

Ayala-Usma, Lozano-Gutiérrez & Orejuela in Ayala-Usma et al.

Pleistocene

 Colombia

A species of Anacardium.

Pericuxylon[33]

Gen. et sp. nov

Valid

Mejia-Roldán, Rodríguez-Reyes & Estrada-Ruiz in Mejia-Roldán et al.

Eocene

Tepetate Formation

 Mexico

Fossil wood of a member of the family Anacardiaceae. The type species is P. ductifera.

Saxifragales

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Liquidambar nanningensis[34]

Sp. nov

Xu, Zdravchev, Maslova & Jin in Xu et al.

Oligocene

Yongning Formation

 China

A species of Liquidambar.

Other angiosperms

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Asterostemon[35]

Gen. et 2 sp. nov

Friis, Crane & Pedersen in Friis et al.

Early Cretaceous (Aptian–Albian)

Figueira da Foz Formation

 Portugal

A chloranthoid flowering plant. The type species is A. hedlundii; genus also includes A. norrisii.

Cryptocarya latiradiata[36]

Sp. nov

Zhang, Su & Oskolski in Zhang et al.

Miocene

Dajie Formation

 China

A species of Cryptocarya.

Magnolia germanica[15]

Comb. nov

Valid

(Mai)

Oligocene to Miocene

 Germany

A species of Magnolia; moved from Manglietia germanica Mai (1971).

Nothophylica[37]

Gen. et comb. nov

Beurel et al.

Cretaceous

Burmese amber

 Myanmar

A flowering plant of uncertain affinities. Oskolski et al. (2024) interpreted it as a flowering plant with an affinity to Rhamnaceae, possibly to an extinct basal lineage;[38] on the other hand Beurel et al. (2024) interpreted it as a flowering plant with probable magnoliid affinities.[37] The type species is "Phylica" piloburmensis Shi et al. (2022).

Pabiania enochii[39]

Sp. nov

Rubalcava-Knoth & Cevallos-Ferriz

Late Cretaceous

Olmos Formation

 Mexico

A member of Laurales.

Swamyflora[35]

Gen. et sp. nov

Friis, Crane & Pedersen in Friis et al.

Early Cretaceous (Albian)

Potomac Group

 United States
( Virginia)

A chloranthoid flowering plant. The type species is S. alata.

Wasmyflora[35]

Gen. et sp. nov

Friis, Crane & Pedersen in Friis et al.

Early Cretaceous (Barremian–Aptian)

Vale de Água clay pit complex

 Portugal

A chloranthoid flowering plant. The type species is W. portugallica.

  • The first fossil record of a flower of a member of the genus Cryptocarya is reported from the Miocene Zhangpu amber (China) by Beurel et al. (2024).[40]

Other plants

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Callipteris seshufenensis[41]

Sp. nov

Valid

Chen in Chen, Zhang & Yang

Permian

 China

A callipterid seed fern.

Cordaites pastuchovicensis[42]

Sp. nov

Valid

Šimůnek

 Czech Republic

Cordaites roprachticensis[42]

Sp. nov

Valid

Šimůnek

 Czech Republic

Cordaites setlikii[42]

Sp. nov

Valid

Šimůnek

 Czech Republic

Cyrillopteris orbicularis[43]

Comb. nov

(Halle)

Permian

Upper Shihezi Formation

 China

A seed fern. Moved from Odontopteris orbicularis Halle (1927).

Dicroidium sinensis[44]

Sp. nov

Sun & Deng in Sun et al.

Middle Triassic

Tongchuan Formation

 China

A seed fern belonging to the family

Umkomasiaceae
.

Frullania delgadillii[45]

Sp. nov

Juárez-Martínez & Estrada-Ruiz in Juárez-Martínez, Córdova-Tabares & Estrada-Ruiz

Miocene

Mexican amber

 Mexico

A liverwort, a species of Frullania.

Harrisiothecium roesleri[46]

Comb. nov

(Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al.)

Late Triassic

 Germany

Pollen organ of a plant of uncertain affinities. Moved from Hydropterangium roesleri Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert et al. (2017)

Harrisiothecium sanduense[46]

Sp. nov

Shi et al.

Late Triassic

Yangmeilong Formation

 China

Pollen organ of a plant of uncertain affinities, associated with pinnate leaves of Ptilozamites.

Laiyangia[47]

Gen. et sp. nov

Jin in Jin et al.

Early Cretaceous (Hauterivian–Barremian)

Laiyang Formation

 China

A member of the family Ephedraceae. The type species is L. compacta.

Leptoscyphus davidii[48]

Sp. nov

Valid

Mamontov et al.

Eocene

Rovno amber

 Ukraine

A liverwort, a species of Leptoscyphus.

Panxianopteris[49]

Gen. et sp. nov

Qin, He, Hilton & Wang in Qin et al.

Permian

Xuanwei Formation

 China

A taeniopterid. The type species is P. taeniopteroides.

Protocupressinoxylon baii[50]

Sp. nov

Jiang & Wan in Jiang et al.

Permian

Upper Shihhotse Formation

 China

Fossil trunk of a gymnosperm.

Pseudotorellia oskolica[51]

Sp. nov

Nosova in Nosova, Fedyaevskiy & Lyubarova

Middle Jurassic (Bathonian–Callovian)

 Russia
( Belgorod Oblast)

A gymnosperm belonging to the family Pseudotorelliaceae.

Radula tikhomirovae[52]

Sp. nov

Valid

Mamontov & Perkovsky in Mamontov et al.

Eocene

Rovno amber

 Ukraine

A liverwort, a species of Radula.

Sanfordiacaulis[53]

Gen. et sp. nov

Gastaldo et al.

Carboniferous (Tournaisian)

Albert Formation

 Canada
( New Brunswick)

A tree of uncertain affinities. The type species is S. densifolia.

Other plant research

  • Redescription and a study on the affinities of Stauroxylon beckii is published by Durieux et al. (2024).[54]
  • A study on the morphological diversity of cycad leaves throughout their evolutionary history, providing evidence of a dynamic history of diversification, is published by Coiro & Seyfullah (2024).[55]
  • Zhang et al. (2024) compile a dataset of macroscopic and cuticular traits of fossils of members of the group Czekanowskiales from China, and use it to classify the studied fossils on the basis of quantitative analytical evidence.[56]
  • A study on the morphology and affinities of Furcula granulifer is published by Coiro et al. (2024), who interpret the studied plant as a likely relative of pteridosperms such as Scytophyllum and Vittaephyllum, and interpret F. granulifer as a plant that evolved its hierarchical vein system of leaves convergently with the flowering plants.[57]
  • Possible caytonialean pteridosperm fossils are described from the Bajocian strata in the Karachay-Cherkessia (Russia) by Naugolnykh & Mitta (2024).[58]

Palynology

Name Novelty Status Authors Age Unit Location Synonymized taxa Notes Images

Jiangsupollis intertrappea[59]

Sp. nov

Thakre et al.

Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)

 India

Palynological research

  • A study on the palynoflora from the Permian Emakwezini Formation (South Africa) is published by Balarino et al. (2024), who interpret the studied fossils as providing evidence of the presence of complex forests during the Guadalupian, with plant diversity greater than indicated by the macrofloral record.[60]
  • A study on the age of the Santa Clara Abajo and the Santa Clara Arriba formations and their
    palynomorph assemblages, previously inferred to be Carnian-Norian in age, is published by Benavente et al. (2024), who determine an upper Anisian age for both formations, and interpret their findings as indicating that the taxonomic composition of Triassic Gondwanan palynomorph assemblages correlates more strongly with latitude than with geologic age.[61]
  • The interpretation of Cycadopites and Ricciisporites proposed by Vajda et al. (2023), who considered them to represent, respectively, normal and aberrant pollen produced by the same plant with Lepidopteris ottonis foliage and Antevsia zeilleri pollen sacs,[62] is contested by Zavialova (2024);[63] Vajda et al. (2024) subsequently reaffirm that Antevsia zeilleri produced Cycadopites and Ricciisporites pollen.[64]
  • Evidence from pollen and spores from the Jiyuan Basin (China), interpreted as indicative of a relationship between two peaks of wildfires of different types and changes in plant communities during the Triassic-Jurassic transition, is presented by Zhang et al. (2024).[65]
  • Evidence of high abundances of malformed fern spores from the Lower Saxony Basin (Germany) during the Triassic–Jurassic transition, interpreted as indicative of persistence of volcanic-induced mercury pollution after the Triassic–Jurassic extinction event, is presented by Bos et al. (2024).[66]
  • Evidence from fossil pollen assigned to the form genus
    Classopollis, interpreted as indicative of existence of a refugium of members of the family Cheirolepidiaceae, is reported from the Paleocene Lower Wilcox Group (Texas, United States) by Smith et al. (2024).[67]
  • Evidence from fossil pollen interpreted as indicative of existence of ecological corridors linking Andean, Atlantic and Amazonian regions of South America during the Last Glacial Maximum, resulting in establishment of complex connectivity patterns between plants from the studied parts of South America, is presented by Pinaya et al. (2024).[68]

General Research

Deaths

  • Florissant Fossil Beds in Colorado, and fighting pollution. She was the daughter of Aldo Leopold.[75]

References

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  11. ^ Lozano-Carmona, D. E.; Velasco-de León, M. P.; Jiménez-Rentería, J. (2024). "Reproductive organs of Early Jurassic Bennettitales from the collection of the Community Geological Museum of Rosario Nuevo "Ing. Jorge Jiménez Rentería", Oaxaca, Mexico". Paleontología Mexicana. 13 (1): 17–33.
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  75. ^ jones, K. (February 28, 2024). "Estella Bergere Leopold, environmentalist and daughter of Aldo Leopold, dies at 97".