Wardiaphyllum daturaefolium (WARD) HICKEY.

Manchester, Steven R., 2014, Revisions To Roland Brown’S North American Paleocene Flora, Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae Series B 70 (3 - 4), pp. 153-210 : 179-181

Wardiaphyllum daturaefolium (WARD) HICKEY.

Brown (1962) attributed this distinctively toothed, long-petiolate leaf type to Credneria? daturaefolia WARD. These leaves are also common in the Paleocene Gao mine flora of Alberta ( Stockey et al. 2013). No association with fruits or flowers has been detected.

Remaining species whose generic and familial assignments remain unproven

Other species included in Brown’s monograph that have not been subjected to more detailed study include: Apocynophyllum lesquereuxii Ettingshausen (fragmentary leaves of uncertain affinity), “ Asimina” vesperalis R. W. BROWN , Calycites hexaphylla LESQUEREUX , “ Cercocarpus” ravenscragensis BERRY , Dillenites garfieldensis R. W. BROWN , Dombeyopsis magnifica KNOWLTON , “ Fraxinus” eocenica LESQUEREUX , Hydrangea antica R. W. BROWN , Phyllites demoresi R. W. BROWN , Phyllites disturbans R. W. BROWN , Phyllites pagosensis KNOWLTON , Ilex artocarpidioides (LESQUEREUX) R. W. BROWN , Paliurus ? sp., Zyzyphoides mackayi BELL , “ Staphylea” minutidens (KNOWLTON) R. W. BROWN , “ Salix” aquilina R. W. BROWN (“These fragmentary leaves are referred to Salix with some hesitation.” Brown 1962, p. 55).

“ Ficus” affinis (LESQUEREUX) R. W. BROWN. This entire-margined ovate leaf, “hesitatingly assigned to Ficus ” by Brown (1962, p. 61) has three primary veins and 3–5 pairs of secondary veins arising from the upper half of the midvein. Particularly strong outer secondary veins arise somewhat above the base of both lateral primaries. The base of the lamina is decurrent on the petiole. Brown expanded the concept of this species to include narrow elliptical leaves based on co-occurrence with the broader ovate specimens on which the species was founded. Identification to the genus Ficus was not justified on the basis of morphological characters. Lesquereux’s original assignment to Cinnamomum , or at least the familial attribution to Lauraceae , appears more likely to be correct. However, unique characters to identify this leaf with certainty have not been noted.

“ Ficus” minutidens KNOWLTON has a broad ovate serrate lamina. Brown (1962 p. 62) stated that the acceptance of these leaves as Ficus “is made with reservations because they also resemble somewhat the leaves of Hydrangea , Morus , Populus , Tilia , and some Vitis . ”

“ Ficus” planicostata LESQUEREUX. These leaves are wide-ovate to elliptical with basally acrodromous venation consisting of a midvein and two strongly ascending lateral primaries. Agrophic veins are common in the lower half of the lamina, and well-marked percurrent tertiary veins are common. The petiole is stout, suggesting an evergreen leaf. Leaves of this species resemble those of some Lauraceae .

“ Ficus” subtruncata LESQUEREUX has entire-margined elliptical leaves. “The assignment of these leaves to Ficus is unsatisfactory, but I have no better suggestion” ( Brown 1962, p. 63).

“ Ficus” uncata LESQUEREUX. “These leaves resemble some species of Combretum and Magnolia , and their present allocation is dubious.” ( Brown 1962, p. 64).

“ Morus” montanensis R. W. BROWN. This is an ovate leaf with a cordate base, attenuate apex and numerous small crenations. The crenations cover the lower and middle part of the lamina, but are missing from the apical area. Brown noted he had not found any lobed leaves like those from the living species of Morus .

“ Nyssa” alata (WARD) R. W. BROWN. Brown provided a synoymy for this species including 17 previously recorded occurrences. These are elliptical entire-margined leaves with pinnate secondary veins—a common leaf architectural pattern not confined to Nyssa . As Brown stated then, “The assignment of these leaves to Nyssa is unconfirmed by any authentic seeds suggestive of the genus.” ( Brown 1962, p. 85).

“ Nyssa” borealis R. W. BROWN. This entire-margined leaf type, with secondaries arising at obtuse angles from the midvein, was named as a new species by Brown (1962). The base and apex are not preserved in the specimen figured.

“ Nyssa ? ” obovata KNOWLTON. “No further light on the identity of this specimen has appeared” Brown (1962, p. 85).

“ Rhamnus” geowandrewsii WATT. Rhamnus hirsuta R. W. BROWN is a junior homomym of an extant species, so Watt, (1975) provided a new name, Rhamnus geowandrewsii WATT , for the species. Brown (1962, p. 77) stated “there is some doubt that these leaves represent Rhamnus ”. Among those that he figured, all from the Shirley Canal site, Montana, there appears to be more than one taxon. Watt (1975) designated, fig. 3, of Brown (1962, pl. 39) as the lectotype which shows a lanceolate, entire-margined lamina with prominent percurrent tertiary veins. Some of the other figures appear to represent the same taxon showing development of scattered teeth. But figs 9, 10 of Brown (1962, pl. 39) with sharp prominent teeth, seem to represent two other unrelated taxa. No justification was been given for placing these leaves in Rhamnaceae . When present, teeth of Rhamnaceae should be blunt and glandular. The familial and generic affinity of “ Rhamnus ” geowandrewsii remains unknown.

Miscellaneous fruits/seeds

Although Brown’s chief emphasis was on fossil leaves, he collected and analyzed reproductive structures as well. He provisionally retained several species of palms from earlier literature: Palmocarpon commune LESQUEREUX , Palmocarpon compositum LESQUEREUX , Palmocarpon lineatum LESQUEREUX , Palmocarpon subcylindricum LESQUEREUX , and Palmocarpon truncatum LESQUEREUX as components of the Paleocene flora but expressed some doubt as to whether they really represent palms ( Brown 1962). I have not reexamined the specimens. Brown (1962) also devoted two plates near the end of his monograph to images of various reproductive structures, mostly unidentified, and labeled with some characteristic features, such as “flattened, carbonized fruit with scars,” “spike or catkin of seeds,” “oval fruit with several locules” etc. The affinities of some of these are now known as indicated in Table 2 (numbers 169–192).