Platanus dissecta

Extinct species of flowering plant From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia

Platanus dissecta is an extinct species of plane tree in the family Platanaceae.[1] It is known from fossil leaves dating to the Miocene of western North America.[1] The species was first described by Leo Lesquereux and was reexamined in 2019 to clarify its morphology and systematic affinities.[1]

Quick facts Scientific classification, Binomial name ...
Platanus dissecta
Temporal range: Miocene
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Angiosperms
Clade: Eudicots
Order: Proteales
Family: Platanaceae
Genus: Platanus
Species:
P. dissecta
Binomial name
Platanus dissecta
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Background

Platanus dissecta lived during the Miocene epoch, approximately 23 to 5 million years ago.[1] It belongs to the plane tree genus Platanus, which today includes the American sycamore and the Oriental plane.[1]

Morphology

The fossil leaves of P. dissecta are deeply dissected into lobes, with venation patterns that distinguish the species from other fossil and living Platanus taxa.[1] These features suggest adaptation to the temperate environments of the Miocene.[1]

Systematic affinities

Platanus dissecta is placed in the family Platanaceae and shows close affinities with North American species of Platanus.[1] The 2019 reanalysis suggested that it may share ancestry with the lineage leading to modern Platanus occidentalis.[1]

References

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