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

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

2. Ipolvtarnóc (N Hungary) Tertiary Lobaria jablonszkyi RÁSKY (Textfigs. 1 -2). Remarks : The fossil lichen remains found in Ipolvtarnóc had already been described and published (RÁSKY, 1959, Pt. 69, Figs. 1 -2), subsequently to its discovery by JABLONSZKY (1914, p. 266). MACGINITIE'S publication had at that time escaped our attention, but he had reported a fully identifiable remains by the name Lobaria sp. (1937, p. 131, Pt. 3, Fig. 2). MACGINITIE found the lichen in fine grained water-laid tuff in the fossil flora of Weaverville Beds (Lower Oligocène) at Redding Creek (California). The occurence of well-preserved fossil lichen remains is extremely rare in the Tertiary. They could have fossilized only in exceedingly fortunate circumstances, after a sudden imbedding. The materials of the volcanic eruption near Ipolvtarnóc had covered them very rapidly, and their fossil occurence in that site is rather frequent. There were probably similarly favourable fossilizing conditions also in the Weaverville beds of Central Trinity County. The species Lobaria jablonszkyi from Ipolytarnóc could be best compared to the recent Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) HOFFM., or Lobaria retigera (BORY) NYL. MACGINITIE compared the lichen find from California also to the recent Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) HOFFM. Lobaria pulmonariais widely distributed in the north temperate regions. They live on the bark of old, deciduous trees in forests and on mossy rocks. They usually develop into extensive thalli. The rhizines do not penetrate far into the rind of the trees, failing to reach the living tissues, hence they detach also easily. The habit of Lobaria retigera (BORY) NYL. is also very similar to that of Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) HOFFM., and it lives also on mossy tree trunks, but it ranges mainly in the Eastern Hemisphere, namely East India, Ceylon, Japan, the Philippines, Tonkin, China, Java, and New Zealand. The separation of the recent Lobaria pulmonaria (L.) HOFFM., and Lobaria retigera (BORY) NYL., can be made only by chemical and histological means. Hence it Fig. t.Thallus of Lobaria jablonszkyi RÁSKY, Ipolytarnóc, Tertiary, x 1,3, Coll. nr. 55. 592. 1. — Fig. 2. Thallus of Lobaria jablonszkyi R.VSKY, Ipolvtarnóc, Tertiary, x 1,5, Coll. nr. 55. 553. 1.