Ekrixanthera hispaniolae

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Ekrixanthera hispaniolae
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
(unranked):
Angiosperms
(unranked):
(unranked):
Order:
Family:
Genus:
Species:
E. hispaniolae
Binomial name
Ekrixanthera hispaniolae
Poinar, Kevan & Jackes, 2016

Ekrixanthera hispaniolae is a species of extinct plant first described from fossilised flowers from Dominican amber. It has staminate flowers on short pedicels that are pentamerous, with a pilose pistillode, plus heteromorphic pilose tepals. Differentiating it from Ekrixanthera ehecatli are the presence or absence of a pedicel, the heterotrophic tepals, and the presence or absence of pilosity of its pistillode and tepals. Additionally, the latter characters added to the pentamerous flowers separate the two fossil species from extant genera. Its floral structures indicate an explosive manner of pollen release as well as anemophily. Lepidopterans feeding on this species is suspected during the mid-Tertiary.[1]

References[]

  1. ^ Poinar, George; Kevan, Peter G.; Jackes, Betsy R. (2016). "Fossil species in Boehmerieae (Urticaceae) in Dominican and Mexican amber: a new genus (Ekrixanthera) and two new species with anemophilous pollination by explosive pollen release, and possible lepidopteran herbivory1". Botany. 94 (8): 599–606. doi:10.1139/cjb-2016-0006. ISSN 1916-2790.


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