New fossil species of Entada genus (Fabaceae, Caesalpinioideae, mimosoid clade) from the Miocene amber of Chiapas, Mexico

The most important deposits of amber in Mexico come from Chiapas, which is known for its high diversity of biological inclusions as plants, arthropods, and vertebrates. Here we described a new fossil species belonging to Entada genus (Fabaceae), based on several bisexual flowers. Entada simojovelensis Estrada-Ruiz et G & PRIME;omez-Ace-vedo is characterized by actinomorphic bisexual flowers, sessile, perianth differentiated into two whorls; calyx with 5 pubescent sepals; corolla, 5 linear petals basally connate with an acute papillate apex, small trichomes at the base and in the margin of the petals, with narrow linear-lanceolate shape, reticulate venation; 10 stamens, free, anthers with rectangular shape, dorsifixed, in the apical zone of the anthers have one gland with short stipitate; superior gynoecium, subsessile, style tapering to a tubular to punctiform stigma. This new record of Entada represents the first evidence fossil in the Miocene Mexican amber for the genus, further supporting the idea that several genera growing in Mexico today, were present in the area since the Neogene.

Automated summary

This article describes a new fossil species belonging to the Entada genus, found in Mexican amber from the Miocene. The fossil is characterized by actinomorphic bisexual flowers and represents the first record of the genus in Mexican amber from this time period. This supports the idea that several genera present in Mexico today were already growing in the area during the Neogene.