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

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The present-day genus Ulmus contains
about 45 species of trees and shrubs distributed
in northern temperate and boreal zones, being
particularly common in central and northern
Asia (Krüssmann 1978, Kubitzki 1993).
Zelkova Spach.
Zelkovaepollenites Nagy 1969
(127) Zelkovaepollenites potoniei
Nagy 1969
Pl. 14, fi g. 20
1969 Zelkovaepollenites potoniei n. sp., Nagy, p. 225,
pl. 51, fi gs 17, 20.
R e m a r k s. These pollen grains are similar to
pollen of the recent Zelkova carpinifolia (Pall.)
Koch, and represent warm-temperate element
(A1). They occur in the Miocene – Pliocene
deposits (Stuchlik et al. 2009). Low quantities
of Zelkovaepollenites in fossil material could be
explained by small pollen productivity of Zelkova
trees and weak resistance of their pollen
grains (Stuchlik & Kvavadze 1993). In the analysed
material pollen grains of Zelkovaepollenites
potoniei were encountered sporadically.
Today the genus Zelkova contains 6–7 species
of deciduous trees, rarely shrubs growing
on Crete, in eastern and western Asia, as well
as on Taiwan. Zelkova carpinifolia is native
to the Caucasus (Krüssmann 1978, Kubitzki
1993).
Two morphological genera Ulmipollenites
and Zelkovaepollenites have been distinguished,
but in the analysed material often
occurred pollen grains with intermediate
features. Therefore in histograms they were
presented together as the Ulmus/Zelkova column.
Familia URTICACEAE
Triporopollenites Pfl ug & Thomson
in Thomson & Pfl ug 1953
(128) Triporopollenites urticoides
Nagy 1969
Pl. 14, fi gs 14, 15
1969 Triporopollenites urticoides n. sp., Nagy, p. 453,
pl. 51, fi gs 11, 12.
R e m a r k s. Pollen grains approach pollen of
Urticaceae, of unknown species affi nity. Similar
ones are rare in the Polish Tertiary. They
are known from the Miocene (Stachurska
et al. 1967, 1971, Ziembińska-Tworzydło 1974)
and Pliocene deposits (Jahn et al. 1984), and
represent cosmopolitan (P/A) climatic element
(Stuchlik et al. 2009). In the studied material
only a few pollen grains of Triporopollenites
urticoides were found.
Today the family Urticaceae with 45 genera
and about 1000 species of herbs, shrubs, climbers
and small trees, occurs almost all over the
world, particularly often in tropics. The majority
of species grow in humid conditions, such
like forest bottom, along streams, in mountain
tropical forests, rarely in lowland tropical
forests. Boehmeria cylindrica (L.) Sw. is frequent
along streams in swamp forests of North
America (Kearney 1901, Kubitzki 1993).
Familia ROSACEAE
Photinia Lindl., Sorbus L.
(129) Tricolporopollenites photinioides
Skawińska in Ziembińska-Tworzydło
et al. 1994
Pl. 15, fi g. 1a, b
1994b Tricolporopollenites photinioides Skawińska sp.
nov.; Ziembińska-Tworzydło et al., p. 28, pl. 16,
fi gs 27a, b, 28.
R e m a r k s. Pollen grains resembling in structure
pollen of the genera Photinia and Sorbus.
However, the genus Photinia could be more
probable because of the occurrence of Photinia
macro-remains in Mirostowice Dolne (Zastawniak
1978) and Domański Wierch (Łańcucka-
Środoniowa 1980b) fossil fl oras. These pollen
grains are the nearest those of recent P. serrulata
Lindl. (Skawińska 1989). They are known
from the Miocene deposits, and represent
warm-temperate (A1) element (Ziembińska-
Tworzydło et al. 1994a, b). In the analysed
material pollen grains of Tricolporopollenites
photinioides were encountered regularly, but
in small quantities.
Nowadays genus Photinia (about 60 species)
is distributed in south-eastern Asia and
central America, whereas Sorbus (more than
100 species) grows in northern temperate zone
(Krüssmann 1977).