Tectocarya grandis
Tectocarya grandis
Summary
Tectocarya grandis was an early Eocene mastixioid plant known from a thick, one-seeded fruit stone. Its hard endocarp protected the seed and was organised into distinct fibrous layers around a curved seed cavity. The parent plant itself is not preserved with these fruits, so its exact growth form and ecology remain unknown.
The most distinctive part of the fruit lies inside the stone: a median wall of fibres divides the deep dorsal infold. This separates Tectocarya from superficially similar Diplopanax material and shows why internal anatomy can be more informative than external shape in London Clay fruits.
Quick Identification
Look for: a robust unilocular mastixioid fruit stone with a curved seed cavity and a deep dorsal infold divided by a distinctive median fibrous septum; CT or a good section is normally needed to confirm this internal feature.
Diagnostic Features
- Fruit stone is unilocular with a single curved seed cavity.
- Endocarp has a dense inner layer of fibres lining the locule.
- A thicker outer layer is composed mainly of radially orientated fibres and sclereids with scattered vascular strands and canals.
- The deep dorsal infold is divided by a median septum composed of fibres.
- The median fibrous septum distinguishes the internal construction from Diplopanax cacaoides.
Fossil Details
Similar Species
Recorded Fossil Sites
No fossil-site occurrences have yet been recorded for this species.
Synonyms & Previous Names
References
- Steven R. Manchester; Margaret E. Collinson. (2022). Mastixioid fruits (Cornales) from the early Eocene London Clay Flora: morphology, anatomy and nomenclatural revision. Fossil Imprint, 78(1), 310–328 View reference