The fossil pollen record of Hamamelidaceae in the Iberian Peninsula

Abstract

In this paper we review the fragmentary fossil pollen record of Hamamelidaceae which extends back to the middle Eocene until the Early Pleistocene in the Iberian Peninsula. Records of fossil palynomorphs related to Hamamelidaceae are very scarce in the European Cenozoic, in part due to difficulty in confident identification at a generic or even familial rank. The present review contributes to improving the accuracy of identification of Cenozoic Hamamelidaceae in standard palynological studies, which should help trace its poorly understood fossil and evolutionary history. The review of all published Iberian records indicates a considerable generic diversity. At least four genera can be confidently identified. The examination of new material from the Oligocene of north-west Spain has led to the formal description of three new fossil pollen genera that are related to extant genera currently restricted geographically to Asia: Disanthuspollenites, Embolantherapollenites and Parrotiapollenites. Based on SEM analysis, a new combination of the fossil species Tricolpopollenites indeterminatus, traditionally used to designate fossil pollen related to Hamamelidaceae in Europe, is proposed. Additionally, we discuss the occurrence of pollen forms that can be tentatively attributed to Corylopsis and Fothergilla.