Fossil Banksieae From Yallourn, Victoria, With Notes on the Morphology and Anatomy of Living Species

Abstract

The morph. and anatomy of 6 types of fossil leaves from brown coal at Yallourn, Victoria, are descr. Comparison with similar features of living spp. showed that all are extinct members of the tribe Banksieae of the family Proteaceae. A new genus BANKSIEAE-PHYLLUM is instituted to include these fossil leaves. Identifi-cauorToTfossil leaves with either Banksia or Drvandra appears to be impracticable. Fruiting cones of Banksia from Tertiary deposits are figured and descr. The morph. and anatomy of a leaf, Phyllites yallournensis. were investigated. The chief anatomical features of the leaves of 53 spp. of Banksia and 51 spp. of Dryandra are considered.