Callistemonites Bande, R.C.Mehrotra et U.Prakash

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN001607

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:1607

Authors: M. B. Bande, R. C. Mehrotra & U. Prakash

Rank: genus

Reference: Bande, M. B., Mehrotra, R. C. & Prakash, U. (1986): Occurrence of Australian element in the Deccan Intertrappean flora of India. – The Palaeobotanist 35(1): 1–12., link

Page of description: 8

Type

Original diagnosis/description

Spike-like infructescence made up of a number of ovoid, small fruits enclosed by persistent, cup-shaped perianth.

Emended diagnosis

Emended by Manchester, Srivastava and Robinson in Smith et al. (2021: Int. J. Pl. Sci. 182(2): 100):
Fruit indehiscent, elongate, 9.0cm long, and ca. 1.5 cm in diameter. Three or more vertical rows of seeds, ca. 12 seeds per row. Seeds ellipsoidal, 4–6 mm in diameter, and 6–7 mm long, smooth, elliptical to subcircular in transverse view, truncate at the hilar end, with a prominent hilar rim, tapered and rounded at the chalazal end. Hilum operculate. Operculum circular, 2 mm in diameter, situated centrally, with a conical depression at base (junction with embryo). Seed coat moderately thick, 0.25 mm.

Etymology

As the present fossil shows close affinities with Callistemon and Melaleuca whose infructescences can not be differentiated, it has been placed under a new organ genus Callistemonites which stands for the fossil infructescences of both Callistemon and Melaleuca.