Szekessy Vilmos (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 56. (Budapest 1964)

Rásky, K.: Studies of Tertiary plant remains from Hungary

(1902, p. 253) remarked, concerning the distribution of the recent Woodwardia species, that „Die vielfach vicariirenden Foi men zwischen Ostasien und Nordamerika liefern treffliche Beispiele für den Zusammenhang dieser Florengebiete." Sabal major (Ung.) HEER (Plate II, Pt. III, Fig. 1. Pt. IV. Figs. 1—2, Pt. VII, Fig. 8). Description : Impressions of central parts of young leaves. The top of the petiole preserved on some specimens. On the central part of the leaf, the length of the preserved pinnules varies between 8—14 cm. The measurable width of the rachis, at the basis of the blade, is around 1.0 cm, generally elongately contiguous among the rays, probably always in the median line of the blade. The lateral decurrence of the rachis in the leaf could not be ascertained, since a part of the leaf remains is invariably defective. The densely plicate, slightly arcuate rays arise on the two sides of the rachis. The multiplicate leaf rays seem to continue along the elongated rachis. Also longer petioles remained; their length is 7—10 cm, width 1—1.3 cm, finely striated, no thorns visible. The apex of one petiole (Plate IV, Fig. 1) is slightly bent, approaching a subtriangular form (not visible on Figure), emitting, on both sides, a part of the densely plicated rays of the blade. Also on the young leaves, there extends a well visible midrib medially of the rays; with thinner, parallel veins decurrent alongside the midrib. On the fragments, the greatest width of a smooth ray is 1—1.2 cm; on some other ones, the width of a ray may attain 2.5 cm. There were some specimens found with also connected rays; some show deep cuts along the rays. The length of these connected rays attains even 15 cm. Also smaller or larger finds came to light, rays from the upper part of the leaves, where the width of unfolded (smooth) rays are 2—2,5 cm. They also show the plication visibly, their midribs locally prominent. There are also several specimens of single rays. Remarks : The Ipolytainóc fan palm remains are similar to those published by UNGER from the fossil flora of Häring, by ETTINGSHAUSEN from the floras of Flaring and Bilin, and by HEER from the Tertiary of Switzerland as Sabal major. They also resemble the Sabal species discussed by SAPORTA (1865) from South France. CZECZOTT (1963) published the Sabal species from Poland. The specimens known as Sabal major from the Bembridge flora (REID & CHANDLER, 1926), the Cervera flora (Catalogne, DEPAPE, 1950), the brown coal layers of Frimmersdorf (WEYLAND, 1959), the Oligocène layer of the Isle of Wight (CHANDLER, 1963), or the Caucasus (BAIKOVSKAYA, 1950), are probably all remains of older, that is, developed leaves, but they are of the identical type as the remains of the young or older leaves from Ipolytarnóc. STAUB'S (1889) wonderful specimen, described from the valley of the river Maros, Transsylvania, preserved 60-61 rays. PÁLFALVY mentions the Sabal species from Eger, Hungary (1951), while ANDREÁNSZKY (1949) described a new palm genus under the name Tuzsonia. The occurrence of the Sabal palm is very frequent in American Tertiary layers (LESQUEREUX, KNOWLTON, BERRY, AXELROD). GREGUSS (1954, p. 98, Taf. 13) described the remains of a trunk under the name Palmoxylon Sabal (?) from Ipolytarnóc, comparing it to the recent form of Sabal palmetto; a Sabal trunk find under the name Palmoxylonhungaricum from Salgótartján (1959). The descriptions of Palmoxylon remains are getting frequenter also from the European Tertiary : MÜLLER-STOLL, KRÄUSEL, KIRCHHEIMER, STOCKMANSWILLIÉRE, GRAMBAST, W. ZIMMERMANN, etc. From India, KAUL published palm trunk remains in a comprehensive paper, while PRAKASH, LAKHANPAL, RAMANUYAM, SHUKLA, etc. mention very fine single specimens. The impressions of palm leaf remains are extremely difficult to seperate morphologically from one another, and especially fragmentary specimens. Without a study of their epidermal structure, the differences between the leaves of diverse developmental phases cannot be evaluated. There might occur among them Chamaerops,