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Vitis messelensis
Vitis messelensis M.E. Collinson, Manchester, V. Wilde Abh. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges., 570: 51. 29 Jun 2012
- Name
- Vitis messelensis
- Rank
- Species
- Generic Name
- [Genus] Vitis
- Authors (Pub.)
- Collinson M. E.
Manchester S. R.
Wilde V.
- Publication
- Fossil fruits and seeds of the Middle Eocene Messel biota, Germany [2012/6]
- Journal
- Abhandlungen [herausgegeben von] der Senckenbergischen Naturforschenden Gesellschaft
- Volume
- 570
- Page number
- 51
- Year
- 2012
- Parent Taxon
- [Genus] Vitis
- Fossil Status
- seeds
- Stratigraphy
- Lutetian
- Location
- Messel, Landkreis Darmstadt-Dieburg, Hesse, Germany
- Paleoregion
- Eurasia (Europe)
Data for Holotypus
- Repository
- Senckenberg Naturhistorische Sammlungen Frankfurt, Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut und Naturmuseum, Frankfurt am Main, Germany
- Repository Number
- SM.B Me 21619
- Diagnosis
- Seed oval to pyriform in dorsal and ventral view, 4.8–5.3 mm long, 4.0–4.3 mm wide, dorsiventral thickness 1.5–1.9 mm as measured but original thickness uncertain because of compression of the fossils; some specimens are compacted laterally suggesting some degree of inflation in life. Apical notch shallow to missing. Beak prominent, cylindrical, truncate, protruding 0.2 mm. Ventral surface smooth. Ventral infolds narrow, nearly parallel near the base and more diverging apically, relatively short, about one-third to half of the full seed length. Raphe ridge sometimes with a slit-like groove. Dorsal surface usually smooth, but sometimes with very slight fluting radiating from the chalaza. Chalaza pyriform to elliptical, more or less centrally positioned (if offset slightly apical), approximately one third the length of the full seed. Chalaza-apex groove prominent, chalazabase groove less pronounced. Seed coat c. 250 μm thick, composed of a biseriate layer of anticlinally elongate cells.
