In this paper, we analyzed the characteristics of fossil legume pods from the “Committee Creek” formation of the Teater Road, John Day Formation in Crook County, Oregon, in western North America. 23 fossil specimens were collected and compared with the existing genera of the family through detailed observation of the legume pods. A total of three genera and four species of nearest relatives were identified as extant, and four undetermined species were studied. These include the similar species of Acacia vine and Acacia (undetermined species) of the genus Acacia; the species of Caesalpinia of the genus Caesalpinia; and the species of Bauhinia of the genus Bauhinia. Combining the distribution range of this genus and its fossil record in the Late Eocene, we inferred a mild and humid climate in the Late Eocene of western North America by comparing the distribution range with that of the fossil extant genus and making a distribution map.
Cite this paper
Chen, S. , Zhu, J. , Maimaitimin, W. and Li, J. (2023). Late Eocene Legume Pod Fossils from Western North America and Their Paleoclimate Analysis. Open Access Library Journal, 10, e048. doi: http://dx.doi.org/10.4236/oalib.1110048.
Robert, C. and Kennett, J.P. (1997) Antarctic Continental Weathering Changes during Eocene-Oligocene Cryosphere Expansion: Clay Mineral and Oxygen Isotope Evidence. Geology, 25, 587-590.
https://doi.org/10.1130/0091-7613(1997)025%3C0587:ACWCDE%3E2.3.CO;2
Tuo, S.T. and Liu, Z.F. (2003) Global Climate Events at the Eocene-Oligocene Transition: From “Greenhouse” to “Icehouse”. Advances in Earth Science, 18, 691-696.
Simeone, M.C., Grimm, G.W., Papini, A., et al. (2016) Plastome Data Reveal Multiple Geographic Origins of Quercus Group Ilex. PeerJ, 4, e1897.
https://doi.org/10.7717/peerj.1897
Su, T., Xing, Y.W., Yang, Q.S., et al. (2009) Quantitative Reconstruction of the Annual Mean Temperature of the Eocene Flora of China Based on Leaf Margin Analysis. Journal of Paleontology, 48, 65-72.
Jacobs, B.F. and Herendeen, P.S. (2004) Eocene Dry Climate and Woodland Vegetation in Tropical Africa Reconstructed from Fossil Leaves from Northern Tanzania. Palaeogeography, Palaeoclimatology, Palaeoecology, 213, 115-123.
https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(04)00368-2
Davies, K. (2005) Influence of Wyoming Big Sagebrush on Spatial Variation of Micro-Environments and Herbaceous Vegetation. Society of Range Management.
Wang, X.M., Wang, M.Z. and Zheng, X.Q. (2005) Late Eocene-Early Oligocene Stratigraphic Sporulation Assemblages and Their Paleoclimatic Characteristics in China. Journal of Earth Science-China University of Geosciences, 30, 309-316.
Jia, G.-W., Liu, K.-N., Wang, Y.-F., et al. (2013) Study of Fossil Pods and Leaves of the Late Miocene Phellodendron Genus from Lincang, Yunnan. Journal of Paleontology, 52, 213-222.
Wang, Y.F., Shao, Y., Li, B.K., et al. (2015) Study on the Leaves and Wing Fruits of Late Miocene Maple in Lincang, Yunnan. Journal of Collegiate Geology, 21, 105-116.
Saeed, A. and Evans, J.E. (2012) Subsurface Facies Analysis of the Late Cambrian Mt. Simon Sandstone in Western Ohio (Midcontinent North America). Open Journal of Geology, 2, 35-47. https://doi.org/10.1016/S0031-0182(04)00368-2
Jia, H. and Manchester, S.R. (2014) Fossil Leaves and Fruits of Cercis L. (Leguminosae) from the Eocene of Western North America. International Journal of Plant Sciences, 175, 601-612. https://doi.org/10.1086/675693
Herendeen, P.S. and Jacobs, B.F. (2000) Fossil Legumes from the Middle Eocene (46.0 Ma) Mahenge Flora of Singida, Tanzania. American Journal of Botany, 87, 1358-1366. https://doi.org/10.2307/2656727
Sprent, J.I. (2007) Evolving Ideas of Legume Evolution and Diversity: A Taxonomic Perspective on the Occurrence of Nodulation. New Phytologist, 174, 11-25.
https://doi.org/10.1111/j.1469-8137.2007.02015.x
Mosbrugger, V., Utescher, T. and Dilcher, D.L. (2005) Cenozoic Continental Climatic Evolution of Central Europe. Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences of the United States of America, 102, 14964-14969.
https://doi.org/10.1073/pnas.0505267102
Dong, L.Y., Wang, J., Hao, S.Y., et al. (2018) The Discovery of Wood Fossils in the Miocene Hanoba Basalt in Northern Jin and Its Paleoclimatic Significance. Geological Bulletin, 37, 1820-1824.
