Icacinicarya amygdaloidea
Icacinicarya amygdaloidea
Summary
Icacinicarya amygdaloidea is one of the largest London Clay fruits placed in this form-genus. The known endocarps are long and almond-like, around 33–35 mm in length, with a flattened lenticular cross-section. Their large size and elongate proportions set them apart from the compact, subglobose or short-oval stones that dominate many other Icacinaceae in the flora.
Only a very small amount of material is known and the specimens are preserved as strongly compressed carbonaceous endocarps rather than the more typical three-dimensional pyrite-permineralised stones. That preservation made micro-CT uninformative, so the modern revision accepted the species using the original morphological documentation and later comparative work. The locule lining lacks papillae. Because no foliage or stems are associated, the exact form and ecology of the plant remain unknown beyond its placement among woody icacinaceous angiosperms.
Quick Identification
Look for: an unusually large, elongate almond-shaped endocarp around 33–35 mm long, with a flattened lenticular cross-section and a smooth non-papillate locule lining. The known material is compressed and carbonaceous, so CT is less useful than careful gross morphology.
Diagnostic Features
- Endocarp is very large for London Clay Icacinicarya, about 33–35 mm long.
- Outline is distinctly elongate, with length roughly 1.6–2 times the width.
- Transverse profile is flattened and lenticular.
- Locule lining is non-papillate.
- Known specimens are carbonaceous endocarps preserving the overall stone rather than isolated locule casts.
Fossil Details
Similar Species
Recorded Fossil Sites
No fossil-site occurrences have yet been recorded for this species.
References
- Gregory W. Stull; Neil F. Adams; Steven R. Manchester; Dan Sykes; Margaret E. Collinson. (2016). Revision of Icacinaceae from the Early Eocene London Clay flora based on X-ray micro-CT. Botany, 94(9), 713–745 View reference
- Kathleen B. Pigg; Steven R. Manchester; Melanie L. DeVore. (2008). Fruits of Icacinaceae (Tribe Iodeae) from the Late Paleocene of western North America. American Journal of Botany, 95(7), 824–832 View reference
- Marjorie Elizabeth Jane Chandler. (1961). The Lower Tertiary Floras of Southern England. I. Palaeocene Floras. London Clay Flora (Supplement). . British Museum (Natural History), London View reference