B. Papp szerk.: Studia Botanica Hungarica 32. 2001 (Budapest, 2001)

Hably, Lilla: Rhamnus warthae Heer, an important element of the Central Paratethyan region during the Egerian

and it included large masses of leaves of Rubus meriani (Heer) Kolakovszkij. Therefore we tried to match "Rhamnus " warthae to some Rubus species and mentioned recent simple-leaved Rubus species belonging to the sect. Sozostyli Focke from southern China and others from subtropical SE Asia that recall our fossils (e.g. R. mairei Leveille), but are not identical with those. Our study of recent material in the herbarium, Brassiopsis speciosa Dence et Pl. shows great similarity to our "Rhamnus " warthae. It is native to Yunnan province and occurs in elevations up to 1150 m in the mountains. Unfortunately, the fossil material does not have cuticle, so we cannot identify the fossil with the above-mentioned recent material. Thus we use the name, justified by priority, given by Heer. TAPHONOMY, PALAEOECOLOGY The identification and even the recognition of "Rhamnus" warthae depend considerably on the sediments embedding its leaves. The very fine, and rarely exposed teeth are preserved only in fine-grained sediments. In coarse-grained sediments the teeth are usually destroyed. Thus, the leaves seem to be entire margined to which it can be attributed that these leaves were often assigned to the family of Lauraceae (Laurus primigenia (STAUB 1887), Lauraceophyllum (Litsea) primigenia (GlVULESCU 1973)). The venation, even the dense tertiary venation is very strong and well preserved not only in mudstone, but also in coarse-grained sediments. This characteristic venation recalls that of the leaves of Rhamnus. According to the sedimentological analysis of the localities (HABLY 2001), the proportion of the mudstone that contained the leaves of "Rhamnus " warthae still identifiable was more than 50% in the plant bearing sediments, (e.g. Pomáz 70%, Andornaktálya 56%, Kesztölc 55%, Eger-Wind brickyard 52%). Large amounts of its leaves are only known from two localities, Zsil Valley (Transylvania, Romania) and the Eger-Wind brickyard (Hungary) and there are several specimens at Csolnok (Hungary) (ERDEI and WILDE, in progress). These localities represent a swamp vegetation. In Eger-Wind "Rhamnus" warthae is associated with Osmunda lignitum, Blechnum dentatum., Pronephrium stiriacum, Myrica longifolia, Comptonia dryandra, Ulmus pseudopyramidalis, Alnus oligocaenica and Acer tricuspidatum f. hungaricum, which are typical members of a swamp vegetation. The mass occurrence of large, well preserved leaves of several species suggest that they were not exposed to a long transport. The leaves occur densely through several layers which means that the leaves must have fallen down