A re-examination of the angiosperm wood record from the early and middle Miocene of Turkey, and new species descriptions

Abstract

The early and middle Miocene in Turkey was characterised by a warm climate and a diversified and rich vegetation. Many fossil angiosperm genera have been identified from this period. The present study re-examined previously identified genera and identifed new samples of angiosperm wood remains. The studied material included thin sections housed at the Department of Forest Botany, Division of Forest Engineering, Faculty of Forestry, Istanbul University-Cerrahpasa, and also new ones. Twelve new species are described: Liquidambaroxylon efeae Akkemik sp. nov., Eucarpinoxylon kayacikii Akkemik sp. nov., Ostryoxylon gokceadaense Akkemik sp. nov., Quercoxylon yaltirikii Akkemik sp. nov., Cryptocaryoxylon grandoleaceum Akkemik sp. nov., Fraxinoxylon beypazariense Akkemik sp. nov., Prunoidoxylon prunoides Akkemik sp. nov., Populoxylon sebenense Akkemik sp. nov., Salicoxylon galatianum Akkemik sp. nov. Aceroxylon aceroides Akkemik sp. nov., Ulmoxylon kasapligilii Akkemik sp. nov. and Zelkovoxylon crystalliferum Akkemik sp. nov. In addition, four previously described species are documented for the early and middle Miocene: Pistacioxylon ufukii Akkemik and I. Poole, Fagoxylon radiatum Süss, Laurinoxylon litseoides Süss and Platanoxylon catenatum Süss and Müller-Stoll. In addition to the species descriptions, identification keys are given for all the genera recognised in this study, including all currently known fossil species of the respective fossil genera. These keys hold important new information, as they place the fossil species from Turkey in a wider taxonomic and biogeographic context. The results show that in the early and early-middle Miocene of Turkey a rich woody flora existed in well-drained upland or lowland and riparian areas. This flora comprised subtropical taxa along with warm-temperate taxa indicative of seasonality of rainfall as well as transitions to xeric conditions in the early Miocene.

MioceneCupressinoxylonfrom Gökçeada (Imbros), Turkey withProtophytobiacambium mining and the study of ecological signals of wood anatomy

“…1 ). The results of the first collection (a total of 16 samples) revealed 11 different fossil species from the area ( Akkemik, 2020 , 2021 ; Güngör et al, 2019 ). Our new specimen comes from the same fossiliferous area.…”

“…Geological similarities between Lemnos and Gökçeada Islands have been noted by De Launay (1898) . In Gökçeada, a rich fossil wood assemblage recently has been found and identified by Iamandei, Iamandei & Akkemik (2018) , Güngör et al (2019) , and Akkemik (2020 , 2021) . The first fossil wood findings of Gökçeada Island include conifers and angiosperms that include monocots ( Table 1 ).…”

“…The co–occurrence of the latter woods with hornbeam, beech, and pine trees, indicates well–drained lowland and upland conditions ( Güngör et al, 2019 ). Many other studies on the woody flora of early and early–middle Miocene have indicated the presence of a subtropical warm and humid climate in Turkey ( e.g ., Denk et al, 2017 ; Denk, Güner & Bouchal, 2019 ; Güner et al, 2017 on macrofossils; Akgün, Kayseri & Akkiraz, 2007 ; Akkiraz et al, 2011 ; Biltekin, 2017 on microfossils, and Acarca Bayam et al, 2018 ; Akkemik, 2020 , 2021 ; Akkemik, Acarca & Hatipoğlu, 2017 ; Akkemik, Akkılıç & Güngör, 2019 ; Akkemik, Köse & Poole, 2005 ; Akkemik, Mantzouka & Kıran Yıldırım, 2020 ; Akkemik & Sakınç, 2013 ; Akkemik et al, 2009 , 2016 , 2019 on petrified woods).…”

“…This wood assemblage of Gökçeada indicates the presence of a subtropical, warm climate. The presence of palm trees ( Palmoxylon ), lauraceous woods ( Cryptocaryoxylon and Laurinoxylon ), taxodioid woods including swamp cypress ( Cupressinoxylon and Taxodioxylon ), alder ( Alnoxylon ), and plane trees ( Platanoxylon ) represent lower coastal and riparian conditions (see Acarca Bayam et al, 2018 ; Güngör et al, 2019 ; Akkemik, 2020 , 2021 ). The co–occurrence of the latter woods with hornbeam, beech, and pine trees, indicates well–drained lowland and upland conditions ( Güngör et al, 2019 ).…”

A new contribution to the middle Miocene woody flora of Gökçeada (Turkey)

“…Gökçeada (Imbros) is an island located in the westernmost Turkey, and has a valuable fossil site. The palaeobotanical studies on the fossil woods from this island (Güngör et al, 2019;Akkemik, 2021;Iamandei et al, 2018;Mantzouka et al, 2022) revealed many different fossil genera and species such as Alnoxylon Felix, Fagoxylon Stopes & Fujli, Platanoxylon E.Hofmann, Pinuxylon Knowlton, Taxodioxylon gypsaceum (Göppert) Krausel, Laurinoxylon litseoides Süss, Cryptocaryoxylon grandoleaceum Akkemik, Eucarpinoxylon kayacikii Akkemik, Ostroxylon gokceadaense Akkemik, Quercoxylon Hofmann Sect. Ilex, Cupressinoxylon pliocenica Akkemik, Palmoxylon coryphoides Ambwani & Mehrotra, Recently, Mantzouka et al (2022) identified a new cypress wood as Cupressinoxylon matromnense Grambast together with insect injuries.…”