Momordiocarpon R.N.Deshmukh et Kokate

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN001603

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:1603

Authors: R. N. Deshmukh & P. S. Kokate

Rank: genus

Reference: Deshmukh, R. N. & Kokate, P. S. (2019): Momordiocarpon deccanii gen. et sp. nov. A petrified berry fruit form the Deccan Intertrappean Beds of Mohagaonkalan, Chindwara District, Madhya Pradesh, India. – Bioscience Discovery 10(1): 5–9., link

Page of description: 7

Type

Original diagnosis/description

The fruit is cut in transverse plane at its upper side and longitudinal along, it’s basal side (plate Fig.1; text Fig. 3). The oblique longitudinal serial sections of the fruit shows that it is ellipsoidal in shape, globular and fleshy in nature. It measures 4.5 cm in length and 2.29 cm in breadth, with well-preserved unilocular fossil fruit having spiny out growth on pericarp. (Plate Fig.1, Text Fig. 3). The fruit is sessile. Fruit is broadly divided into fruit wall i.e. Pericarp. And the central pulpy part. Pericarp is Echinate i.e. covered by Spine at some part of fruit which is very interesting feature of fruit.
Measuring range from 3.3 mm in thickness and 2 mm in breadth in thickness .Anatomical details of the fruit are as follows.
Pericarp
Pericarp of the fruit is multilayered and differentiated into epicarp, mesocarp and endocarp. The pericarp is well preserved with spiny out growth. (Plate Fig. 2; Text Fig. 4). It is measured 3.3mm in thickness and 2mm in breath.(Plate fig.2 and text fig.1)
Epicarp
Epicarp is outer most layer of berry fruit. It is formed of compact parenchyma cells with wavy in outline0.133 mm thickness and each cell varies from about 9.65 μm and 6.61 μm (Plate Fig.2; Text Fig. 3) in size.
Mesocarp
Mesocarp is the middle and broadest zone of pericarp, 165 μm up to 237 μm in thickness, made up of rectangular, thin walled parenchymatous cells, each cell varies from 0.161 μm to 0.169 μm in size. It is fleshy and Colossal, also refers to as the flesh of the Berry fruit. Mesocarp is fibrous in nature. Epicarp and mesocarp forms external out-growths at places forming ridges and furrows of the pericarp (Plate Fig. 1; Text Fig.2; Fig 5). Mesocarp consist of horizontally greater depth due to an air cavities at lower side of fossil fruit. An air cavities are measured about 0.33 mm up to 0.99 mm in thickness.
Endocarp
Endocarp is innermost layer of the pericarp consisting of thick wall compactly arranged cells. The seeds are not well preserved. It is measured about 165 μm in thickness. The central cavity of fruit might be pulpy in nature, as the cells are highly thin walled. . Each cell is measured about 66 μm up to 96.3 μm varies in size.Embryo is well preserved (Plate Fig. 3; Text Fig.5).

Emended diagnosis

Emended by Manchester, Kapgate and Smith in Smith et al. (2021: Int. J. Pl. Sci. 182(2): 93):
Fruits tricarpellate, cylindrical with tapered base and apex, rounded trigonal in cross section, indehiscent. Apex truncate with a short acumen, base tapering into a short pedicel. Epicarp smooth. Placentation axile. Seeds in one row per locule; 12–15 seeds per locule. Seeds irregularly shaped (not radially or bilaterally symmetrical), with a hilar operculum. Embryo pendulous from cylindrical opercular conduit, extending about halfway into the main cavity, bulbous. Chalazal chamber weakly developed and obliquely positioned. Seed coat greatly thickened in the hilar half of the seed, composed of inner and outer fibrous layers sandwiching a middle layer of parenchyma cells.

Etymology

...a new form genus Momordiocarpon name is given after the genus of Momardica...