Raskya vetusta (ETTINGSHAUSEN)

Kvaček, Zlatko & Teodoridis, Vasilis, 2011, The Late Eocene Flora Of Kučlín Near Bílina In North Bohemia Revisited, Acta Musei Nationalis Pragae Series B 67 (3 - 4), pp. 83-144 : 106-107

Raskya vetusta (ETTINGSHAUSEN) MANCHESTER et HABLY

Pl. 15, figs 10-11

1869 Ononis vetusta ETTINGSHAUSEN , p. 56, pl. 55, figs 7-9.

1881 Tetrapteris vetusta (ETTINGSHAUSEN) SIEBER , p. 19, pl. 4, figs 19-20.

1926 Abelia quadrialata E. M. REID et CHANDLER , p. 133, pl.8, figs 29-31, text-fig. 11 (Bembridge).

1997 Raskya vetusta (ETTINGSHAUSEN) MANCHESTER et HABLY, p. 236, pls. 1-2, text-fig. 1.

N e o t y p e: NM G 7569 designated by Manchester and Hably (1997, pl. 2, fig. 7), Kučlín.

The fruits are preserved as elongate-fusiform impressions, transversed by numerous ribs and attached to the centre of the hypogynous quadripetalous calyx. The position of the fruit is obviously superior. Fossil calyces devoid of fruits occur more frequently. The sepals are entire on margin, free, obovate-spatulate, slightly curved on the tips, 7–11.5 mm long and max. 4 mm wide. The venation of sepals is very steep, free, dichotomizing, not well preserved in the studied specimens. The fruit body attains 9 mm in length, in the compressed state it looks 1 mm in cross section but this value does not correspond to the natural thickness due to compression. No remains of styles are observable on the fruit tip.

D i s c u s s i o n: The above described material complements the description of the neotype selected by Manchester and Hably (1997) from the same locality Kučlín as Ononis vetusta Ettingshausen , basionym. It brings definite evidence that the record from Kučlín bears all features diagnostic for Raskya as numerous better preserved specimens from Hungary and England described by Manchester and Hably (1997), which were employed for the re-interpretation of the genus. Due to a large diversity of the Kučlín flora and unknown affinities of Rasky it is at present impossible to suggest further organs of Raskya and attempt to reconstruct the whole plant. Aspects of the plant assemblages associated with occurrences of Raskya in Bohemia (Kučlín), Hungary (Eger-Kiseged, Obuda) and England (Bembridge) stress thermophilous character of this plant element.

M a t e r i a l: NM G7567 a, b (neotype) , DB KUC 16 a,b ,

KUC 445.1.