Middle Miocene palynoflora of the Legnica lignite deposit complex ...

32
1974, Kohlman-Adamska 1993, Stuchlik et al.
2009). They represent arctotertiary (A) element
(Ziembińska-Tworzydło 1996).
Today the family Polygonaceae contains
about 30 genera and 750 species of herbaceous
plants, rarely shrubs or trees, occurring
all over the world, mainly in temperate zone
of the northern hemisphere. The genus Polygonum
(about 150 species) contains mainly
perennials, rarely climbers (Heywood 1978).
P. densifl orum Meisn. and P. hydropiperoides
Michaux occur e.g. in sawgrass marshes in
Florida (Willard et al. 2004).
(75) Rumex L. type
Pl. 11, fi g. 5a–c
1964 Rumex sp.; Stuchlik, p. 43, pl. 13, fi gs 9, 10.
Pollen grains tri- and tetracolporate, round
in shape, 20–28 μm in diameter. Colpi rather
long, very narrow. Pores small, 1.5–2.0 μm
in diameter, circular to slightly equatorially
elongate. Exine 1.5 μm thick, surface microreticulate.
R e m a r k s. Pollen grains of Rumex type are
rarely found in the Tertiary deposits. They are
known from the Polish Miocene and Pliocene
deposits (Stuchlik 1964, Oszast 1967, 1973,
Oszast & Stuchlik 1977, Jahn et al. 1984). Only
3 specimens of this type were encountered in
the analysed material.
Today the genus Rumex (about 150 species)
is distributed in northern temperate zone
(Heywood 1978).
Ordo GARRYALES
Familia EUCOMMIACEAE
Eucommia Oliv.
Eucommioipollis Ziembińska-Tworzydło in
Ziembińska-Tworzydło et al. 1994
(76) Eucommioipollis parmularius
(Potonié 1934) Ziembińska-Tworzydło in
Ziembińska-Tworzydło et al. 1994
Pl. 11, fi g. 4
1934 Pollenites parmularius n. sp., Potonié, p. 52,
pl. 2, fi g. 7.
1994b Eucommioipollis parmularius (Potonié) Ziembińska-Tworzydło
comb. nov.; Ziembińska-
Tworzydło et al., p. 24, pl. 13, fi g. 7a, b.
R e m a r k s. These pollen grains represent
warm-temperate element (A1). In Europe
they occur in the Lower Oligocene to Pliocene
deposits (Ziembińska-Tworzydło et al.
1994a, b, Ziembińska-Tworzydło 1996). They
were sporadically encountered in the studied
material.
In the recent days the monotypic genus
Eucommia occurs in central China. E. ulmoides
Oliv. is a tall tree which grows in mesophytic
mountain forests (Wang 1961). The variability
of fossil pollen grains, leaves, and fruits (Guo
2000) indicates that they could represent not
the only one species.
Ordo SAXIFRAGALES
Familia CERCIDIPHYLLACEAE
Cercidiphyllum Sieb. & Zucc.
Cercidiphyllites Mtshedlishvili in
Samoilovich & Mtshedlishvili 1961
(77) Cercidiphyllites minimireticulatus
(Trevisan 1967) Ziembińska-Tworzydło
in Ziembińska-Tworzydło et al. 1994
Pl. 11, fi gs 2, 3
1967 Tricolpopollenites minimireticulatus n. fsp.,
Trevisan, p. 38, pl. 24, fi gs 10–12.
1994b Cercidiphyllites minimireticulatus (Trevisan)
Ziembińska-Tworzydło comb. nov.; Ziembińska-
Tworzydło et al., p. 21, pl. 13, fi gs 1a, b, 2.
R e m a r k s. This species represents warmtemperate
element (A1), and is known from
the Middle and Upper Miocene (Ziembińska-
Tworzydło et al. 1994a, b, Ziembińska-
Tworzydło 1996) as well Pliocene localities
(Jahn et al. 1984). Macro-remains of Cercidiphyllum
occur in Poland in the Oligocene to
Pliocene deposits (Hummel 1970). These pollen
grains were rarely encountered in the
studied material, in quantities not exceeding
1%.
Today relics of Cercidiphyllum (2 species)
are wide-spread in the mountains of Japan
and China. C. japonicum Sieb. & Zucc. is
besides numbered among the oldest elements
of the Japanese fl ora. This species grows in
dense and wet forests, mainly on the altitudes
above 1500 m a.s.l.; C. magnifi cum (Nakai)
Nakai occurs in China (Wang 1961, Bugała
1991).