Taxodiaceous woods in Lusatia (Central Europe), including curiosities in their nomenclature and taxonomy, with a focus on Taxodioxylon

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  • ヨーロッパ中部のルザティア産スギ科木材化石の研究
  • とくにTaxodioxylon に注目し，特異な命名や分類にも触れる

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Abstract

Taxodiaceous woods are among the most investigated in Lusatia (Central Europe) as well as in the European Cenozoic. Although these conifer genera have been known for a long time, the use of the generic names is confusing, especially in regard to their relationships to extant taxa. In Lusatia there occur some Taxodioxylon species with affinities to Sequoia, Cryptomeria, and Taxodium, Glyptostroboxylon species with affinities to Glyptostrobus and Cunninghamia, and also—paradoxically—one Cupressinoxylon wood with affinity to Taiwania. Extinct taxodiaceous woods also occur: Quasisequoioxylon and Juniperoxylon pachyderma ex parte. One Juniperoxylon was found with Cupressospermum saxonicum. The establishment of Quasisequoioxylon, a morphogenus, which shares xylotomic characters both with Taxodiaceae and Cupressaceae s.s., is considered to represent the wood of the extinct genus Quasisequoia. Rediscovery of the original preparation of Glyptostrobus tener Kraus, the basionym for Glyptostroboxylon tenerum (Kraus) Conwentz, enabled a detailed re-assessment of this taxon and an emended diagnosis for the genus Glyptostroboxylon. The most common morphogenus is Taxodioxylon, because the wood species it includes have affinities to many extant genera: Taxodium, Cryptomeria, Sequoia, Metasequoia, and Sequoiadendron. Taxodioxylon was erected by Hartig in 1848 with the type Taxodioxylon goeppertii. Gothan emended this taxon in 1905. Greguss and Blokhina have used the names Sequoioxylon as well as Metasequoioxylon, but these taxa fit under the broadly defined morphogenus Taxodioxylon. It is proposed that a revision of Taxodioxylon should be made. One Cupressinoxylon wood is most similar to Taiwania. The xylotomical investigations supplemented by information from other organs, especially dispersed cuticles—using the whole-plant concept—provide data for reconstructing the woody plant communities that contributed to Miocene peat formation in Lusatia. The xylotomical records suggest the transition of a relatively eutrophic stage with Glyptostrobus, via a mesotrophic stage with Sequoia, Cunninghamia, and Taiwania towards an oligotrophic habitat with Cryptomeria.

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