The first record of fossil Magnoliaceae wood from Africa: Magnoliaceoxylon africanum sp. nov. from the Campanian of Egypt

Abstract

A new species of Magnoliaceoxylon is described based on a satisfactorily preserved fossil wood specimen from the Late Cretaceous (Campanian) Quseir Formation, Baris Oasis in the New Valley Province in Egypt. The features of the wood indicate a close affinity to the section Michelia (L.) Baill. of the subgenus Yulania (Spach) Rchb. belonging to the genus Magnolia L. sensu lato (Magnoliaceae). This is the first magnoliaceous fossil wood recorded from Africa. This new record sheds light on the origin and migration of magnoliids. The xylotomical characters of the discovered wood are indicative of a tropical montane habitat. As the family is one of the earliest extant lineages of flowering plants, its study plays a crucial role in understanding the origin of angiosperms.