Early tertiary Proteaceae: The first floral evidence for the Musgraveinae

Abstract

Musgraveinanthus alcoensis is described from the Eocene Alcoa Anglesea Deposit (Victoria) based on two compressed inflorescences, each of c. 30 flower pairs. Its placement in the subtribe Musgraveinae (tribe Banksieae) is based on three free hypogynous glands per flower, three persistent bracts subtending each flower pair and biporate pollen found in one remaining bud. Comparative studies of the two extant genera of the subtribe, Musgravea F. Muell. and Austrornuellera C. T. White, confirm the lak of differentiating floral features within the subtribe. Although Proteaceae leaves and fruits are common at the locality, none belonging to Musgraveinanthus have yet been recovered. The restricted distributions of the two extant genera of the subtribe support earlier hypotheses that the deposit is similar to an extant Simple Notophyll Vine Forest and that it might represent subtropical vegetation.