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

1993 Leguminosae – Tricolporopollenites sp. 7; Kohlman-Adamska,
p. 144, pl. 23, fi g. 1a, b.
Pollen grains tricolporate, in equatorial
view oval in outline, 40–42 × 20–26 μm in size.
Colpi with thick edges, extending parallel to
the polar axis. Pores rather big, oval, in the
middle of the colpi. Exine about 2 μm thick,
surface very fi nely granulate.
R e m a r k s. Morphologically, these pollen
grains approach pollen of the genus Cassia
(Fabaceae). Similar ones have been reported
from the Neogene of Poland (Oszast 1967,
Oszast & Stuchlik 1977, Kohlman-Adamska
1993). Only two pollen grains of this type were
found in one sample from the Henryk seam of
Legnica 33/56 profi le.
Nowadays the genus Cassia (500–600 species
of shrubs, trees and herbs) is distributed in subtropical
and tropical zones (Krüssmann 1976).
Ordo CROSSOSOMATALES
Familia STAPHYLEACEAE
Staphylea L.
(140) Tricolporopollenites sp. 5
Pl. 15, fi g. 12a, b
1964 Staphyllea sp.; Pollenites perexpressus Doktorowicz-Hrebnicka;
Stuchlik, p. 59, pl. 18, fi gs
7–10.
1973 Staphylea sp.; Stachurska et al., pl. 13, fi gs
3, 4.
1990 Tricolporopollenites sp. type “Staphylea”; Planderová,
p. 79, pl. 77, fi gs 5, 6.
Pollen grains tricolporate, in equatorial
view oval in outline, 35–50 μm in size. Colpi
long, pores oval, elongated meridionally. Exine
about 2 μm thick, surface reticulate with irregular
lumina. Size of lumina and muri the largest
at the poles.
R e m a r k s. These sporomorphs resemble pollen
of Staphylea. Pollen grains of this type are
known from the Polish Miocene and Pliocene
(Doktorowicz-Hrebnicka 1956b, c, Stuchlik
1964, Oszast 1973, Stachurska et al. 1973,
Sadowska 1977, Oszast & Stuchlik 1977, Jahn
et al. 1984). At Legnica a few specimens were
found.
Today the genus Staphylea contains about
12 species of deciduous shrubs and small trees
occurring in northern temperate zone (Krüssmann
1978).
Ordo SAPINDALES
Familia SAPINDACEAE
Subfamilia ACEROIDEAE
Acer L.
Aceripollenites Nagy 1969
(141) Aceripollenites microrugulatus
Thiele-Pfeiffer 1980
Pl. 15, fi g. 14a, b
49
1980 Aceripollenites microrugulatus n. sp., Thiele-
Pfeiffer, p. 146, pl. 11, fi gs 26–31.
Pollen grains tricolpate, in equatorial view
oval elongate in outline, 28–32 × 16–18 μm
in size. Colpi narrow, running parallel. Exine
1.5–2.0 μm thick, surface delicate, rugulate.
Sculpture elements short, arranged in various
directions.
R e m a r k s. Pollen grains approaching those
of the recent Acer negundo L. (section Negundo
– Biesboer 1975) were described from the Miocene
and Pliocene of Germany (Thiele-Pfeiffer
1980). They represent arctotertiary (A) element.
A few specimens of this fossil species
were found in the Komorniki profi le.
(142) Aceripollenites sp. 1
Pl. 15, fi g. 15a–c
1993 Acer tataricum L., A. truncatum Bge. type,
Aceripollenites sp. 2; Kohlman-Adamska, p. 151,
pl. 26, fi g. 5a, b.
Pollen grains tricolporate, in equatorial view
oval elongate in outline, 25–30 × 15–20 μm in
size. Poles somewhat rounded, colpi go deep
into polar areas. Exine about 1.5 μm thick,
surface striato-rugulate. Striae long, arranged
variously, mostly meridionally.
R e m a r k s. Pollen grains resembling pollen
of the recent Acer tataricum L. and A. truncatum
Bge. (section Platanoidea – Biesboer
1975, Kohlman-Adamska 1993). They represent
arctotertiary (A) element. Several pollen
grains of this type were found in the studied
material.
Nowadays the genus Acer (about 150 species)
is common throughout northern temperate
zone as well as in the mountains of tropical
zone. Acer platanoides L. is distributed in
Europe to the Caucasus, A. pseudoplatanus L.
in central Europe, A. negundo L. in eastern