Kaszab Zoltán (szerk.): A Magyar Természettudományi Múzeum évkönyve 77. (Budapest 1985)

Kordos-Szakály, M. ; Kordos, L.: Morphotypes of Hungarian fossil Celtis (Urticales) stones

ANNALES HISTORICO-NATURALES MUSEI NATIONALIS HUNGARICI Tomus 77. Budapest, 1985 p. 35-63. Morphotypes of Hungarian fossil Celtis (Urticales) stones by M. KORDOS-SZAKALY & L. KORDOS, Budapest Abstract

—Six morphotypes can be distinguished among stony endocarp finds of Hungarian and some SE-European fossil Celtis species originating from a period of 10 million years' duration (Lower Pannonian to Upper Pleistocene). They are called „pill, sphere, pillow, torpedo, oval and macro" types. The surface pattern of a stony endocarp has five basic layers, each with a development characteristic for the morphotype. The study is completed by a SEM investigation of the surfaces and cross sections of finds. An establishment of the stratophenetic phyletic tree and of a Celtis biostratigraphy divided into two biozones and five subzones now seems possible. With 6 figures and 7 photoplates. The genus Celtis (Urticales, Ulmaceae) consists of approximately 75 recent and 35-40 extinct species (NAGELHARDT 1922, KRÜSSMANN 1960). The ancestor of the genus was certainly the genus Celtidophyllum known from Cretaceous sediments in Moravia (KRASSER 1896), Celtis, s. str. was already present in the Eocene of North America and Europe while in the Far East (Japan) itt appeared only during the young Tertiary. From the European Neogene only the species C. crenata (UNG.) HEER, C. japeti UNGER, C. rhenana GOEPP. are known of the fossil species as represented by their leaf impressions, the other Celtis species are known from their stones (NAGELHARDT 1922). Celtis pollens are frequent in the Pliocene sediments of France, Germany, Italy and North America, though they became especially frequent in the Pleistocene interglacial sediments of these areas (NILSSON 1983). In Hungary Celtis trachytica was described by Ettingshausen in 1853 from the Sarmatian flora of the Tokaj Mountains (its well-known localities are: Erdőbénye, Abaújszántó, Balaton-Dellő, Buják); later C. vulcanica was described by KOVÁTS from Tállya in 1856 (its further localities: Erdőbénye, Bánhorváti). KOVÁCS É. described C. occidentaloides in 1957 (Szurdokpüspöki, Bánhorváti) and in 1961 Pálfalvy described C. hungarica and C. miocenica (Magyaregregy). C. cfr. tetranâra ROXB. can be demonstrated only at the locality Bánhorváti-Nagybarca (ANDREÁNSZKY 1955). Celtis pollen was found in Hungary only in the infilling of the Lambrecht Kálmán cave dated the end of the Riss-Würm (VÉRTES 1965). Celtis stones can be demonstrated at several localities of Middle Europe. They are available in a great quantity in Hungary and the neighbouring countries thanks to the careful research work of Hungarian vertebrate paleontologists. This material contains specimens from a period between the Lowermost Pannonian (Upper Miocene, 10-12 million years B.P.) and the beginning of the Würm glacial (Upper Pleistocene, 50-60 thousand years B.P.) (KRETZOI et al. 1974, KORMOS 1911, BOROS 1933, JÁNOSSY 1979). Celtis is unknown in the Carpathian Basin since the Upper Pleistocene

—it was forced back to the South and East as a result of the latest glacial (ANIC 1964). The Hungarian fossil stones were first studied by TUZSON (1912,1913) and later by BOROS (1933). Boros distinguished the following species: Celtis sp. (Dalmatia-Podumci, Polgárdi, Beremend); C. conf. tournefortii LAM. (Csarnóta 1); C. conf. australis L. (Villány-Kalkberg, Magyarkő-Brunzhügel, Betfia-Püspökfürdő, Süttő fissurefilling). After Boros' activity a great quantity of Celtis remains came to light as a result of the application of washing in paleovertebrate research. Apart from SKOFLEK'S (1980) work, who made an attempt to characterize carpologically the Süttő finds, these finds have not been studied as yet. Therefore in the literature the occurrence of the genus is given only by the names Celtis sp. or Celtis cfr. australis L. Today these remains are already available in a great quantity. Moreover, they have an accurate chronology and ancestors which can be traced back to 10-12 million years. Hence a study of these stones can furnish important data not only to the taxonomical and evolutionary analysis of the Celtis genus but also for carpology at large.