A late Miocene leaf assemblage from Vrysses, western Crete, Greece, and its paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretation Giannis ZIDIANAKIS Department of Biology, University of Crete, Voutes, GR-71305 Irakleio, Crete (Greece)
[email protected] Barbara A. R. MOHR Institute of Palaeontology, Museum of Natural History, Invalidenstr. 43, D-10115 Berlin (Germany)
[email protected] Charalampos FASSOULAS Natural History Museum, University of Crete, GR-71409 Irakleio, Crete (Greece)
[email protected] Zidianakis G., Mohr B. A. R. & Fassoulas C. 2007. — A late Miocene leaf assemblage from Vrysses, western Crete, Greece, and its paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretation. Geodiversitas 29 (3) : 351-377. ABSTRACT A new leaf impression fl ora is described from late Miocene marly sediments (6-7.5 Ma) near the village of Vrysses in northwestern Crete, Greece. Th e stud- ied plant remains represent more than 30 taxa of conifers and angiosperms. Deciduous broad-leaved woody plants such as Acer pseudomonspessulanum, 5-lobed Acer, Ziziphus ziziphoides, “Parrotia” pristina, Populus tremula, Salix sp. and Juglandaceae, prevail in this leaf assemblage. Th ese plants are associated with sclerophyllous, evergreen taxa (Quercus mediterranea, Quercus sp., Buxus pliocenica and Pinus sp.) and a few subtropical Miocene elements (Daphnogene KEY WORDS Late Miocene, polymorpha, Tetraclinis sp.). A regional vegetation reconstruction is developed Crete, based on the ecological affi nities of the nearest living relatives. Th e climate Greece, conditions are deduced from the physiognomy and composition of the Vrysses leaves, paleovegetation, plant assemblage. Th ey indicate a warm-humid climate possibly with a weakly paleoclimate. developed dry period during the summer months.