Matskási István (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 87. (Budapest 1995)

Erdei, B.: The Sarmatian flora from Erdőbénye-Ligetmajor, NE Hungary

ANALYSIS OF THE FLORA The species of the flora in Erdőbénye-Ligetmajor form a taphocoenosis; therefore, they do not represent a uniform ecological type. We have found mostly fossils of angiosperms and only some specimens of ferns and angiosperms have turned up. Comparing the number of specimens of certain families to the total number of specimens (Table 1) we can conclude that more than 70% of the flora is formed by the families of Fabaceae, Fagaceae and Ulmaceae. The families of Juglandaceae and Betulaceae are also represented in a relatively great percentage. The other groups of plants can be regarded as accessory and relict elements of the flora. From Table 2 we can come to the same conclusion. Podogonium knorrii (A. BR.) HEER forms 25% of the fossils and more than 20% of the flora is composed of Quercus kubinyii (KOVÁTS et Err.) BERGER (Fagaceae) and Zelkova zelkovifolia (UNGER) BÖZEK et KOTLÁBA in KOTLÁBA (Ulmaceae). The proportion of the species of Carya sp. , Pterocarya paradisiaca (UNGER) ILJINSKAJA and Acer integerrimum (VIVIANI) MASSALONGO is similar to the proportion of their families. More than 60% of the species existing in the flora belongs to the group of deciduous, mesophytic elements. Presumably some of them were thermophyl and xerophytic. RECONSTRUCTION OF THE FLORA On the basis of the species, families and elements of the flora 3 types of vegetation are distinguished: 1. Mesophyl, subtropical forest. The dominant species are Quercus kubinyii (KOVÁTS et Err.) BERGER, Podogonium knorrii (A. BR.) HEER and Acer integerrimum (VIVIANI) MASSALONGO. Though, it must be added that a reason for the great quantity of Podogonium knorrii (A. BR.) HEER might be that it had compound leaves and the leaflets were small-sized. The probability of the fossilization of a small leaf is much higher than that of a bigger leaf. On the basis of the main characteristic features in recent similar forests the mesophyl, subtropical forest of Ligetmajor was formed by shrubs and trees which were not higher than 20 m. Presumably some species of Fagus and Carpinus growing in higher areas in more humid patches must have risen from the average level of the foliage crown. Presumably mesophyl elements also appeared but only in a small number. Besides the latter genera such accessory elements can be mentioned as species of Laurus, Diospyros, Araliaceae, Sapindus falcifolius A. BRAUN, Vitis teutonica A. BRAUN and Smilax weberi WESSEL in WESSEL et WEBER. Comparing with the classical localities in Erdőbénye (Barnamáj, Kővágó-oldal) we can conclude that the deciduous elements have much more representatives in Ligetmajor. 2. Riparian and grove forests. Its presence is proved by the appearance of the family of Juglandaceae. Mainly species of Carya and Pterocarya paradisiaca (UNG.) ILJINSKAJA must have formed the vegetation but mesophyl species from the mesophyl subtropical forest must have also appeared. The presence of the rare Engelhardtia orsbergensis (WESSEL et WEBER) JÄHNICHEN, MAI et WALTHER, is worth mentioning. 3. Water or swampy coenosis. The remains of a sphenopsid, the stems of monocotyledonous plants and the Potamogeton sp. prove the presence of a water or swampy coenosis. However, it must have formed only a small ratio of the flora; moreover, we have to conclude that it had the smallest extension. Especially if we take the fact into consideration that the probability of being fossilized is much higher in such coenosis than in the other ones. It is an interesting difference that Cystoseirites partschii STERNB. (Phaeophyta) being characteristic of the classical floras is totally missing here.