Agathis (Araucariaceae) macrofossils from Cainozoic sediments in south-eastern Australia
Date
2008
Authors
Hill, R.
Lewis, T.
Carpenter, R.
Whang, S.
Editors
Advisors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Type:
Journal article
Citation
Australian Systematic Botany, 2008; 21(3):162-177
Statement of Responsibility
Robert S. Hill, Tom Lewis, Raymond J. Carpenter and Sung Soo Whang
Conference Name
DOI
Abstract
Organically preserved Cainozoic leaf fossils previously referred to Agathis are re-examined, and in all cases their affinity with that genus is confirmed. Previously undescribed organically preserved leaf fossils from several Cainozoic sites in south-eastern Australia are compared with Agathis and Wollemia and two new species of Agathis are described. Intraspecific variation in leaf cuticle morphology is examined in extant A. macrophylla in particular, and is found to be much higher than previously recorded. This makes assignment of fossil Agathis leaves to species difficult, especially when only leaf fragments are available. The new fossils extend the record of organically preserved Agathis macro-remains back to the Late Paleocene, but do not significantly extend the known spatial distribution
School/Discipline
Dissertation Note
Provenance
Description
© CSIRO 2008