Pleistocene flora of Rio Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

Terry A. Lott, David L. Dilcher, Sally P. Horn, Orlando Vargas, and Robert L. Sanford, Jr.

ABSTRACT

The Puerto Viejo Pleistocene megafossil flora presented here is based on fossil leaves, fruits, and seeds from the banks of Río Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Eleven types of plant megafossils are described in this study, including Laurophyllum, Oxandra, Piperites, Ingeae, Parinari, Sacoglottis, Byrsonima, and Pouteria. Detailed morphological and anatomical data are provided for each taxon. Although the Puerto Viejo site is situated in the Atlantic Lowland Tropical Wet Forest today, the fossil flora suggests a relationship with nearby modern forests at slightly higher elevation, and cooler paleotemperatures than at present.

Terry A. Lott. Paleobotany and Palynology Laboratory, Florida Museum of Natural History, University of Florida, Gainesville, Florida 32611-7800, USA.
David L. Dilcher. Department of Biology, Indiana University, Bloomington, Indiana 47401, USA.
Sally P. Horn. Department of Geography, University of Tennessee, Knoxville, Tennessee 37996, USA.
Orlando Vargas. La Selva Biological Station, Organization for Tropical Studies, Puerto Viejo de Sarapiquí, Costa Rica.
Robert L. Sanford, Jr. Department of Biological Sciences, University of Denver, Denver, Colorado 80208, USA.

KEY WORDS: Pleistocene; Costa Rica; fossil plants; cuticle; anatomy

PE Article Number: 14.1.5A
Copyright: Palaeontological Association March 2011
Submission: 19 May 2010. Acceptance: 8 December 2010