Cookies on this website

We use cookies to ensure that we give you the best experience on our website. If you click 'Accept all cookies' we'll assume that you are happy to receive all cookies and you won't see this message again. If you click 'Reject all non-essential cookies' only necessary cookies providing core functionality such as security, network management, and accessibility will be enabled. Click 'Find out more' for information on how to change your cookie settings.

PREMISE OF THE STUDY: The fossil leaf Karatophyllum bromelioides L. D. Gómez found in Costa Rica was proposed by Gómez (1972) to belong to the Bromeliaceae and to date from the middle Tertiary. If the age and affinity of this specimen were proven to be correct, it would constitute the oldest record of this large and ecologically diverse monocotyledonous family. KEY RESULTS: Morphological features of the fossil (leaf dimensions, marginal spines, cuticular traces) indicate a close affinity with the extant bromeliad Aechmea magdalenae (André) André ex Baker. Leaf thickness (1.6 mm at maximum) suggests that K. bromelioides L. D. Gómez performed CAM photosynthesis. The geological information does not corroborate the estimated age and location of the specimen; the fossil is suggested to be of more recent origin. CONCLUSIONS: The affinity of this fossil to Bromeliaceae was confirmed, but the uncertainties surrounding its age and collection locality mitigate against its use in inferences concerning the evolutionary history of the family.

Original publication

DOI

10.3732/ajb.1100261

Type

Journal article

Journal

Am J Bot

Publication Date

11/2011

Volume

98

Pages

1905 - 1908

Keywords

Bromeliaceae, Costa Rica, Fossils, Photosynthesis, Plant Leaves