Palaeoraphe
Encyclopedia
Palaeoraphe is an extinct genus of palm
, represented by one species
, Palaeoraphe dominicana from early Miocene
Burdigalian
stage Dominican amber
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
. The genus is known from a single, 10.8 millimetre (0.425196850393701 in) diameter, full flower. The holotype
is currently deposited in the collections of the Oregon State University
in Corvallis, Oregon
, as number "Sd–9–158", where it was studied and described by Dr George Poinar
. Dr Poinar published his 2002 type description for Palaeoraphe in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
volume number 139. The genus name is a combination of the Greek
word palaios meaning "ancient" and Raphia
a genus of palm, while the species name dominicana references the Dominican Republic
where the fossil was discovered. The type specimen was excavated from the La Toca mine northeast of Santiago de los Caballeros
.
Palaeoraphe has been placed in the Corypheae
subtribe Livistoninae, which has twelve modern genera found in both the old world and the new world. Of the three modern genera the Palaeoraphe flower is similar in character Brahea
, Acoelorraphe and Colpothrinax
, with the structure being closest in structure to that of Brahea. Both genera having distinct sepals, petal
s with furrows facing the axis of the flower, and similarly shaped and sized anthers. However the two genera can be told apart by the stigmas
, which are united for their entire length in Brahea, and by the more relaxed positioning of the anthers in Palaeoraphe. The flower of P. dominicana is a calyx
of three broad sepals with irregular to fringed apices. The three petals are joined at their bases and of the six stamins, those paired with petals are relxed into depressions on the petal surface, while the remaining three stamins are partially erect.
It is proposed by Dr. Poinar that Palaeoraphe may have been a stenotopic genus which was restricted to the Greater Antilles
and possibly to just the island of Hispaniola. The extinction of Palaeoraphe may have been caused by floral and faunal shifts during the Pliocene
and Pleistocene
.
Arecaceae
Arecaceae or Palmae , are a family of flowering plants, the only family in the monocot order Arecales. There are roughly 202 currently known genera with around 2600 species, most of which are restricted to tropical, subtropical, and warm temperate climates...
, represented by one species
Monotypic
In biology, a monotypic taxon is a taxonomic group with only one biological type. The term's usage differs slightly between botany and zoology. The term monotypic has a separate use in conservation biology, monotypic habitat, regarding species habitat conversion eliminating biodiversity and...
, Palaeoraphe dominicana from early Miocene
Miocene
The Miocene is a geological epoch of the Neogene Period and extends from about . The Miocene was named by Sir Charles Lyell. Its name comes from the Greek words and and means "less recent" because it has 18% fewer modern sea invertebrates than the Pliocene. The Miocene follows the Oligocene...
Burdigalian
Burdigalian
The Burdigalian is, in the geologic timescale, an age or stage in the early Miocene. It spans the time between 20.43 ± 0.05 Ma and 15.97 ± 0.05 Ma...
stage Dominican amber
Dominican amber
Dominican amber is amber from the Dominican Republic. Resin from the extinct species Hymenaea protera is the source of Dominican amber and probably of most amber found in the tropics....
deposits on the island of Hispaniola
Hispaniola
Hispaniola is a major island in the Caribbean, containing the two sovereign states of the Dominican Republic and Haiti. The island is located between the islands of Cuba to the west and Puerto Rico to the east, within the hurricane belt...
. The genus is known from a single, 10.8 millimetre (0.425196850393701 in) diameter, full flower. The holotype
Holotype
A holotype is a single physical example of an organism, known to have been used when the species was formally described. It is either the single such physical example or one of several such, but explicitly designated as the holotype...
is currently deposited in the collections of the Oregon State University
Oregon State University
Oregon State University is a coeducational, public research university located in Corvallis, Oregon, United States. The university offers undergraduate, graduate and doctoral degrees and a multitude of research opportunities. There are more than 200 academic degree programs offered through the...
in Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis, Oregon
Corvallis is a city located in central western Oregon, United States. It is the county seat of Benton County and the principal city of the Corvallis, Oregon Metropolitan Statistical Area, which encompasses all of Benton County. As of the 2010 United States Census, the population was 54,462....
, as number "Sd–9–158", where it was studied and described by Dr George Poinar
George Poinar, Jr.
George O. Poinar, Jr. is an entomologist and writer. He is known for popularizing the idea of extracting DNA from insects fossilized in amber, an idea which received widespread attention when adapted by Michael Crichton for the book and movie Jurassic Park.Poinar earned a B.S. and M.S. at Cornell...
. Dr Poinar published his 2002 type description for Palaeoraphe in the Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society
The Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society is a scientific journal publishing original papers relating to the taxonomy of all plant groups and fungi, including anatomy, biosystematics, cytology, ecology, ethnobotany, electron microscopy, morphogenesis, palaeobotany, palynology and...
volume number 139. The genus name is a combination of the Greek
Greek language
Greek is an independent branch of the Indo-European family of languages. Native to the southern Balkans, it has the longest documented history of any Indo-European language, spanning 34 centuries of written records. Its writing system has been the Greek alphabet for the majority of its history;...
word palaios meaning "ancient" and Raphia
Raffia palm
The Raffia palms are a genus of twenty species of palms native to tropical regions of Africa, especially Madagascar, with one species also occurring in Central and South America. They grow up to 16 m tall and are remarkable for their compound pinnate leaves, the longest in the plant kingdom;...
a genus of palm, while the species name dominicana references the Dominican Republic
Dominican Republic
The Dominican Republic is a nation on the island of La Hispaniola, part of the Greater Antilles archipelago in the Caribbean region. The western third of the island is occupied by the nation of Haiti, making Hispaniola one of two Caribbean islands that are shared by two countries...
where the fossil was discovered. The type specimen was excavated from the La Toca mine northeast of Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros
Santiago de los Caballeros is a city in the Dominican Republic. Founded in 1495 during the first wave of European colonization of the New World, today Santiago is the second largest metropolis in the Dominican Republic, located in the north-central region of the Republic known as Cibao valley...
.
Palaeoraphe has been placed in the Corypheae
Corypheae
Corypheae is a tribe of palm trees in the subfamily Coryphoideae. The extinct palm Palaeoraphe is placed into the subtribe Livistoninae....
subtribe Livistoninae, which has twelve modern genera found in both the old world and the new world. Of the three modern genera the Palaeoraphe flower is similar in character Brahea
Brahea
Brahea is a genus of palms in the Arecaceae family. They are commonly referred to as Hesper Palms and are endemic to Mexico and Central America...
, Acoelorraphe and Colpothrinax
Colpothrinax
Colpothrinax is a genus of palms native to Central America and the Caribbean. Colpothrinax aphanopetala is found in southern Central America , while Colpothrinax cookii is found in northern Central America...
, with the structure being closest in structure to that of Brahea. Both genera having distinct sepals, petal
Petal
Petals are modified leaves that surround the reproductive parts of flowers. They often are brightly colored or unusually shaped to attract pollinators. Together, all of the petals of a flower are called a corolla. Petals are usually accompanied by another set of special leaves called sepals lying...
s with furrows facing the axis of the flower, and similarly shaped and sized anthers. However the two genera can be told apart by the stigmas
Stigma (botany)
The stigma is the receptive tip of a carpel, or of several fused carpels, in the gynoecium of a flower. The stigma receives pollen at pollination and it is on the stigma that the pollen grain germinates. The stigma is adapted to catch and trap pollen with various hairs, flaps, or sculpturings...
, which are united for their entire length in Brahea, and by the more relaxed positioning of the anthers in Palaeoraphe. The flower of P. dominicana is a calyx
Sepal
A sepal is a part of the flower of angiosperms . Collectively the sepals form the calyx, which is the outermost whorl of parts that form a flower. Usually green, sepals have the typical function of protecting the petals when the flower is in bud...
of three broad sepals with irregular to fringed apices. The three petals are joined at their bases and of the six stamins, those paired with petals are relxed into depressions on the petal surface, while the remaining three stamins are partially erect.
It is proposed by Dr. Poinar that Palaeoraphe may have been a stenotopic genus which was restricted to the Greater Antilles
Greater Antilles
The Greater Antilles are one of three island groups in the Caribbean. Comprising Cuba, Jamaica, Hispaniola , and Puerto Rico, the Greater Antilles constitute almost 90% of the land mass of the entire West Indies.-Greater Antilles in context :The islands of the Caribbean Sea, collectively known as...
and possibly to just the island of Hispaniola. The extinction of Palaeoraphe may have been caused by floral and faunal shifts during the Pliocene
Pliocene
The Pliocene Epoch is the period in the geologic timescale that extends from 5.332 million to 2.588 million years before present. It is the second and youngest epoch of the Neogene Period in the Cenozoic Era. The Pliocene follows the Miocene Epoch and is followed by the Pleistocene Epoch...
and Pleistocene
Pleistocene
The Pleistocene is the epoch from 2,588,000 to 11,700 years BP that spans the world's recent period of repeated glaciations. The name pleistocene is derived from the Greek and ....
.