This article records new taxa of fossil plants described during the year 2020, as well as other significant discoveries and events related to paleobotany that occurred in 2020.
Flowering plants
Alismatales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesLimnobiophyllum pedunculatumSp. novValidLow, Su & Xing in Low et al.Late OligoceneA member of the family Araceae.
Apiales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesPaleopanax puryearensisSp. novValidNa, Blanchard & WangMiddle EoceneCockfield Formation()A member of the family Araliaceae.
Arecales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesEchimonocolpites chicxulubensisSp. novValidSmith et al.Eocene (Ypresian)Pollen of a flowering plant, probably a member of the family Arecaceae.Palmoxylon ceroxyloidesSp. novIn press Khan, Hazra & Bera in Khan et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)-Paleocene (Danian)Deccan Intertrappean BedsA petrified palm stem of a member of the subfamily Ceroxyloideae.Palmoxylon dindoriensisSp. novValidKhan, Roy & Bera in Khan et al.Late Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)-Paleocene (Danian)Deccan Intertrappean BedsA petrified palm stem.Sabalites dawsoniiSp. novValidGreenwood & ConranEocene()Sabalites karondiensisSp. novIn pressRoy, Hazra & Khan in Roy et al.Late Cretaceous-Paleocene (latest Maastrichtian-earliest Danian)Deccan Intertrappean BedsA palm frond .Spinizonocolpites riochiquensisSp. novValidVallati & De Sosa Tomas in Vallati, De Sosa Tomas & CasalLate Cretaceous (Maastrichtian)Lago Colhué Huapí FormationA member of Arecaceae described on the basis of fossil pollen grains. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020.
Buxales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesPachysandra europaeaSp. novValidKvaček, Teodoridis & DenkPlioceneA species of Pachysandra. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020.
Caryophyllales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesGomphrenipollis garciaeSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen of a flowering plant, possibly produced by members of the family Amaranthaceae. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.
Chloranthales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesSarcandraxylonGen. et sp. novValidPipo, Iglesias & BodnarLate Cretaceous (early–middle Campanian)Santa Marta FormationAntarcticaA member of the family Chloranthaceae. Genus includes new species S. sanjosense.
Cornales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesAmersinia littletonensisSp. novValidHuegele & ManchesterEarly PaleoceneDenver Formation()Langtonia parvaSp. novValidHuegele & ManchesterEarly PaleoceneDenver Formation()A member of the family Mastixiaceae.Mastixicarpum hoodiiSp. novValidHuegele & ManchesterEarly PaleoceneDenver Formation()A member of the family Mastixiaceae.Nyssa gergoeiSp. novValidHablyMioceneA tupelo.Nyssa gyoergyiSp. novValidHablyMioceneA tupelo.Platycrater iljinskajaeSp. novIn pressDenk et al.Late OligocenePortnallia alexanderiSp. novValidHuegele & ManchesterEarly PaleoceneDenver Formation()A member of the family Mastixiaceae.
Crossosomatales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes Images Staphylea woodworthensis Sp. nov In press Zhu & Manchester Oligocene Renova Formation () A species of Staphylea.
Cucurbitales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesCoriaripites goodiiSp. novValidBarreda, Palazzesi & Tellería in Renner et al.Late Cretaceous (Campanian–early Maastrichtian)López de Bertodano Formation Santa Marta Formation Snow Hill Island FormationAntarcticaPollen grains similar to those of extant members of the genus Coriaria.Echitriporites jolyiSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the genus Cayaponia. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.
Ericales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesAndrewsiocarpon puryearensisSp. novValidNa, Blanchard & WangMiddle EoceneCockfield Formation()A member of the family Theaceae.AnubiscarponGen. et sp. novValidSmith & ManchesterMiddle EoceneClarno Formation()A member of the family Theaceae. Genus includes new species A. andersonae.
Fabales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesCercis zekuensisSp. novValidLi et al.Early MioceneA species of Cercis. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Gleditsia pliocaenicaSp. novValidKvaček, Teodoridis & DenkPlioceneA species of Gleditsia. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020. Menendoxylon lutzi Sp. nov In press Baez & Crisafulli Miocene Chiquimil Fossil wood of a member of the family Fabaceae.Parkiidites marileaeSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the genus Parkia. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Prioria martineziorumSp. novValidRodríguez-Reyes & Estrada-RuizOligocene-MioceneSantiago FormationA species of Prioria.Psilastephanocolporites deoliveraeSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the family Polygalaceae. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Psilastephanocolporites endoporatusSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinAnnounced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Striatopollis grahamiiSp. novValidSmith et al.Eocene (Ypresian)Pollen of an eudicot, probably a member of the family Fabaceae.
Fagales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesAlnus chaybulakensisSp. novValidAveryanova & XingPaleogeneAn alder.Berryophyllum hainanensisSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationA member of the family Fagaceae.Carpinus asymmetricaSp. novIn pressXue & Jia in Xue et al.Early Miocene MaguanA species of Carpinus.Carpinus symmetricaSp. novIn pressXue & Jia in Xue et al.Early MioceneMaguan BasinA species of CarpinusCarya pipecreekensisSp. novIn pressSwinehart & FarlowLate NeogenePipe Creek Sinkhole()A hickory.Castaneophyllum hainanensisSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationA member of the family Fagaceae.Castaneophyllum lanceolataSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationA member of the family Fagaceae. Castanopsis bulgarica Sp. nov Valid Mantzouka, Ivanov & Bozukov Late Miocene–early Pliocene (late Messinian–early Zanclean) Pokrovnik A species of Castanopsis. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021. Lithocarpus changchangensisSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationA species of Lithocarpus.Quercus aimeeanaSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus borissoviiSp. novValidAveryanova & XingPaleogeneAn oak.Quercus campanulataSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus casparyiSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus changchangensisSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationAn oak.Quercus conwentziiSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus longiantheraSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus multipilosaSp. novValidSadowski, Schmidt & DenkEoceneBaltic amberEurope (Baltic Sea region)An oak.Quercus paleoargyrotrichaSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationAn oak.Quercus paleohypargyreaSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationAn oak.Quercus paleolamellosaSp. novValidLiu & Jin in Liu, Song & JinEoceneChangchang FormationAn oak.
Garryales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesEucommia szaferiSp. novValidKvaček, Teodoridis & DenkPlioceneA species of Eucommia. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2020.
Gentianales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesAsclepiadospermumGen. et 2 sp. novValidDel Rio et al.Early EoceneNiubao FormationAn asclepiadoid Apocynaceae genus.Included species A. marginatum and A. ellipticum.Margocolporites carinaeSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the genus Rauvolfia. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.
Icacinales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesIodes ellipticaSp. novIn pressDel Rio et al.Early OligoceneWenshan BasinA member of the family Icacinaceae.Iodes passiciensisSp. novValidDel Rio & De FranceschiEarly EoceneA member of the family Icacinaceae.ManchesteriaGen. et sp. novIn pressStull & Rozefelds in Rozefelds et al.Cenozoic (mid-Miocene or, more likely, middle Eocene)A member of the family Icacinaceae. Genus includes new species M. australis.Pyrenacantha simonsiiSp. novValidStull et al.Early OligoceneA species of Pyrenacantha.
Lamiales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesEchitricolpites cruziaeSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the genus Aegiphila. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Multiareolites? reticulatusSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen produced by members of the family Acanthaceae. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Retistephanocolpites curvimuratusSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinAnnounced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.Retistephanocolpites pardoiSp. novValidRabelo Leite, Ferreira da Silva-Caminha & D'ApolitoMioceneSolimões BasinPollen of a flowering plant, possibly produced by members of the genus Amphilophium. Announced in 2020; the final version of the article naming it was published in 2021.
Laurales Name Novelty Status Authors Age Type locality Location Notes ImagesActinodaphnoxylonGen. et sp. novIn press Akkemik et al.Eocene (Lutetian)A member of the family Lauraceae. Genus includes new species A. zileensis.Mezilaurinoxylon oleiferumSp. novValidRuiz, Brea & Pujana in Ruiz et al.Paleocene (Danian)Salamanca FormationA member of the family Lauraceae. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it is scheduled to be published in 2020.PatagonoxylonGen. et sp. novValidRuiz, Brea & Pujana in Ruiz et al.Paleocene (Danian)Salamanca FormationA member of Laurales of uncertain phylogenetic placement. Genus includes new species P. scalariforme. Announced in 2019; the final version of the article naming it is scheduled to be published in 2020.ThymolepisGen. et sp. nov ValidChambers & PoinarLate Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberPossibly an early representative of Monimiaceae. Genus includes new species T. toxandra.ValviloculusGen. et sp. novValidPoinar et al.Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)Burmese amberPossibly a member of Laurales related to the families Monimiaceae and Atherospermataceae. Genus includes new species V. pleristaminis.
Liliales