Wood and leaf remains of palms with affinities to Sabal Adans., from the middle Eocene of Turkey

Abstract

Two new fossil species based on the study of wood remains and leaf imprints from the middle Eocene Çekerek Formation (central-northern part of Turkey) are assigned to the palm family Arecaceae. Standard thin sections from the two samples of fossil wood were investigated and identified as Palmoxylon sabaloides Greguss 1969, with close xylotomical affinities to the modern genus Sabal Adans. The leaf imprints are weakly costapalmate and correspond to the genus Sabal as well. Based on the short petiole extension (costa), the leaves resemble the fossil-species Sabal lamanonis (Brongn.) Heer, 1855. This fossil-species was abundant in Paleogene strata of western and southwestern Europe but has only rarely been described from Cenozoic strata of the Eastern Mediterranean region. The presence of this species, in combination with previously reported pollen records of mangrove palms, indicate warm (sub)tropical conditions in the middle Eocene of north-central Turkey and may reflect the Middle Eocene Climate Optimum (MECO).