Iodes BLUME

Tiffney, Bruce H. & Manchester, Steven R., 2022, The Early Middle Eocene Wagon Bed Carpoflora Of Central Wyoming, U. S. A., Fossil Imprint 78 (1), pp. 51-79 : 67

Genus Iodes BLUME

Text-fig. 7k–o

M a t e r i a l. One chalcedony cast, DMNH EPI.47807.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Endocarp broadly oval/ovate in face view, strongly flattened perpendicular to the face view, creating a lenticular cross-section, 18.8 mm long, 15.0 mm wide in face view and 7.8 mm thick ( Text-fig. 7k–o ). The apex mildly pointed, the base rounded. A keel surrounds the endocarp, clearly grooved on one side in the position of the primary vascular bundle, extending from the base to the apex ( Text-fig. 7m ). The surface of the endocarp traversed by an anastomosing pattern of ridges creating a reticulum that separate a series of depressions or pits; while some ridges traverse the length of the endocarp, others are less strong and end within the depressions.

D i s c u s s i o n. The ovoid outline in face view and flattened cross section, coupled with the surficial reticulation and primary vascular bundle running along one of the lateral keels, all conform to Iodes . As it is a cast without internal preservation, the precise position of the primary bundle, whether within the endocarp wall, or immediately outside, is not clear. Still, the external morphology strongly conforms to that of Iodes . Further, fossils of Iodes are common in the Eocene of North America, and Eurasia ( Stull et al. 2016, Del Rio et al. 2019). The modern genus comprises circa 28 species of lianas found in Africa, Madagascar and subtropical Asia (Mabberly 2008). Iodes joins Chandlera in representing vines in the Wagon Bed flora. The Icacinaceae is also represented in the Wagon Bed flora by pollen ( Leopold and MacGinitie 1972).

Figures

Text-fig. 7. Cornacaeae (a–j), Icacinaceae (k–o). a–e: Mastixia. USNM PAL 772364. Scale bar = 1cm. a: Lateral view of eroded endocarp – the opposite side being missing and the endocarp broken near its mid point, reflected light, palladium coated. b–e: Micro-CT scan surface renderings. b: Rotated 90° from the view in (a). c: Rotated 90° from the view in (b). d: Rotated 90° from (c), exhibiting the damaged “back” face of the endocarp. e: Axillary view of the endocarp; the opposite end missing as apparent in (d). f–j: Cf. Nyssa. DMNH EPI.47808. Scale bar = 1cm. Micro-CT scan surface renderings. f: Intact face of the endocarp; note ridges and “apical” point. g: Eroded (?gnawed; note horizontal grooving) opposite face of the endocarp. h: Lateral view of the endocarp, eroded/gnawed face to left. i: Apical view, eroded/gnawn portion below. j: Basal view of endocarp. k–o: Iodes DMNH-EPI.47807. Micro-CT scan surface renderings. Scale bar = 1cm. k: Face view of endocarp. l: Opposite face of endocarp. m: Lateral view demonstrating the compressed nature of the endocarp, note thickened suture marking the probable track of the primary bundle. n: Apical view, primary bundle trace to right. o: Basal view, primary bundle trace to right.