FOSSIL FLOWERS AND FRUITS OF THE ACTINIDIACEAE FROM THE CAMPANIAN (LATE CRETACEOUS) OF GEORGIA

A new genus and species of Actinidiaceae (Parasaurauia allonensis gen. et sp. nov.) are established for fossil Rowers and fruits from the ea rly Campanian (Late Cretaceous) Buffalo Creek Member of the Gaillard F ormation in central Georgia, USA. The fossil flowers, which are exquis itely preserved as charcoal, have five imbricate, quincuncially arrang ed sepals and petals. The androecium consists of ten stamens with anth ers that are deeply sagittate proximally. The gynoecium is tricarpella te, syncarpous, and has three free styles that emerge from an apical d epression in the ovary. The fruit is trilocular and contains numerous ovules on intruded axile placentae. The structure of mature fruits is unknown. Comparisons with extant taxa clearly demonstrate that the aff inities of Parasaurauia allonensis are with the Ericales, and particul arly with the Actinidiaceae, which have been placed among the Ericales in recent cladistic analyses. Because Parasaurauia allonensis is not identical to any one genus of Actinidiaceae, or other member of the Er icales, phylogenetic relationships of the fossil were evaluated throug h a cladistic analysis using morphological and anatomical characters. Results of this analysis place Parasaurauia allonensis within the Acti nidiaceae as sister to the extant genera Saurauia and Actinidia. Paras aurauia allonensis differs from extant Saurauia only in having ten rat her than numerous stamens.