Carya cf. aquatica ( Michaux, 1811 ) Nuttal, 1818

Stults, DZ & Axsmith, BJ, 2015, New plant fossil records and paleoclimate analyses of the late Pliocene Citronelle Formation flora, U. S. Gulf Coast, Palaeontologia Electronica (New York, N. Y.: 1991) 2 (6), pp. 1-35 : 10

Carya cf. aquatica ( Michaux, 1811) Nuttal, 1818

Figure 3.1 – 3.2, 3.5

Description. Approximately 18 leaflet specimens represent Carya cf. aquatica . Leaflets are oblong or elliptical, a few are ovate, and L:W ratios are mostly> 3:1. Many have an asymmetrical lamina, thus displaying the distinctive curvature common in this species. Sizes range from 3.2–8.5 cm long and 0.8–3.5 cm wide. Bases are cuneate and mostly asymmetrical. Apices are straight and acute. Secondary veins are numerous, often irregularly spaced, with increasing angles from 45º apically to 75º (or greater) basally. Tertiary veins are mostly opposite percurrent (straight or sinuous), although some are alternate percurrent. Margins are often entire, but sometimes with a few, small teeth that are usually straight distally and straight or convex proximally. Often, however, the margins appear erose rather than serrate. Peltate scales are often visible under epifluorescent light ( Figure 3.2 ).

Site occurrence. Scarborough School.

Remarks. Carya aquatica today occurs in floodplain forests along a wide area of the southeastern coastal plain. It is remarkable that no fruits clearly assignable to this species have been recovered from the Citronelle Formation despite the abundance of leaflets with convincing features, which is one of the major reasons a “cf.” designation was used here.

Figures

FIGURE 3. Representative Juglandaceae from the Citronelle Formation (continued). 1. Carya cf. aquatica leaflet (UF 19315–062069), scale bar equals 5 mm. 2. Epifluorescence micrograph of leaf from Figure 3.1, note peltate hairs, scale bar equals 125 µm. 3. Carya cf. tomentosa leaflet (UF 19315–062070), scale bar equals 2 cm. 4. Carya species #3 partial leaflet (UF 19210–062071), scale bar equals 5 mm. 5. Carya cf. aquatica leaf margin of Figure 3.1, scale bar equals 2.5 mm, 6. Carya cf. tomentosa leaf margin of Figure 3.2, scale bar equals 5 mm. 7. Carya species #3 of Figure 3.4 leaf margin, scale bar equals 2.5 mm.