B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 30-31. 1999-2000 (Budapest, 2000)

Erdei, Boglárka; Lesiak, Maria: A study of dispersed cuticles, fossil seeds and cones from Sarmatian (Upper Miocene) deposits of Sopron-Piusz puszta (W Hungary)

CONES AND SEEDS GYMNOSPERMATOPHYTA Pinaceae Pinus salinarum (Partsch 1847) Zablocki 1928 (Figs 31-32) 1928 Pinus salinarum (Partsch) Zablocki; ZABLOCKI, p. 184, Taf. 7, Figs 1-4. 1986 Pinus salinarum (Partsch) Zablocki; MAI, p. 580, Taf. 45, Figs 3-5, Abb. 2. Material: BP 99.516.1; BP 99.517.1; BP 99.518.1; BP 99.519.1; BP 99.520.1. Description: Several poorly preserved cones among which only one specimen shows the characteristic asymmetric shape of the species. The length and width of the cones are 4.5-6.5 cm and 3-3.5 cm, respectively. Their shape is ovate and their apex is slightly rounded. The cone scales are 0.8-1 cm long and 1-1.5 cm wide. The apophysis is strongly flattened and seems to be hexagonal, sometimes quadrangular. Umbo is small, round and mucronate. Mucro is small and round. Discussion: The species belonging to Diploxylon Koehne Sect. Halepensis Loudon represents a new taxon in the Hungarian fossil floras. Similar fossils are known from several European Middle Miocene floras (Wieliczka, Stare Gliwice, Goljany). Pinus halepensis Mill, serves well as a modern equivalent of the fossil species. It is a Western Mediterranean element occurring in Spain, North Africa, and Asia Minor at elevations lower than 750 m above the sea level (MAI 1986). ?Picea sp. (Fig. 33) Material: BP99.521.1 ; BP 99.522.1; BP 99.523.1; BP 99.524.1; BP 99.525.1; BP99.526.1; BP 99.527.1 ; BP 99.528.1 ; BP 99.529.1 ; BP 99.530.1. Description: Unfortunately, a more exact identification of the rather poorly preserved cones is impossible. Their length and width range between 4-6 cm, and 2-2.5 cm, respectively. Shape of the cones is ovate. The heavily damaged cone scales are striped and their margin seems to be entire. Discussion: The first occurrence of the Picea A. Dietr. genus in Central Europe is recorded from the Lower Oligocène and later during the Upper Miocene and Pliocene its remains appear more and more frequently. The occurrence of this genus generally suggests an equalised and cooler climate (MAI and WALTHER 1988). The species belonging to this genus are evergreen and occur in forests of