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Sloanea messelensis
Sloanea messelensis M.E. Collinson, Manchester, V. Wilde Abh. Senckenberg. Naturf. Ges., 570: 23. 29 Jun 2012
- Name
- Sloanea messelensis
- Rank
- Species
- Generic Name
- [Genus] Sloanea
- 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
- 23
- Year
- 2012
- Parent Taxon
- [Genus] Sloanea
- Fossil Status
- fruits
- 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 7133
- Diagnosis
- Fruit solitary, with a subtending disk, and long pedicel (19.5–63 mm length preserved (n = 3), about 2 mm thick). Mature fruit spherical to subglobose, without obvious apical protrusion. Height of fruit 8.5–23 mm (n = 5), width 9.5–24 mm (n = 6). Fruits ornamented with very fine closely spaced conical spinules. Fruit wall of two layers. Innermost layer (locular lining layer) is smooth and thin, normally less than 1 mm thick. Outer layer (2–2.5 mm; n = 2) comprised of closely packed anticlinally oriented spines, the tips of which form the surface ornament. When exposed in fractures, this layer always has a distinctively paler colour than other tissues in the fruits. Most specimens undehisced, without clear indications of dehiscence lines, however isolated valves (e.g. pl. 9i) and fruit portions (e.g. pl. 9a, h) with the same morphology and sculpture indicate longitudinal capsular dehiscence. Those valves have a median longitudinal septum indicating loculicidal dehiscence. Number of locules and carpels not immediately obvious, but radially oriented distal bulges could indicate five. Valve size in relation to fruit size suggests at least four or five valves. Seeds not known. Immature fruit retaining the style up to 4.46 mm long, elongate-triangular with broad base (1.15 mm wide narrowing to tip) and prominent perianth disk. Fruit in side view almost circular, 8.6 mm in diameter; large basal subtending disk covering about one quarter of the fruit and protruding at the margins; disk 9.1 mm wide and 3 mm high. Long peduncle preserved to 51 mm length, most of length c. 1 mm wide and broadening to 2 mm wide at the attachment disk.
