A palm trunk from the Lower Miocene coal basin of Salgotarjan

Abstract

The tree-trunk examined originates from North Hungary, from the coal basin of Salgotarjan. Its age is Lower Miocene. The presence of scattered vascular bundles in the 10 cm. long and 8 cm. wide trunk piece shows that it is of palm origin. The minute anatomical structure also confirms that the petrifaction in question is a palm-stem. Another fossil palm has been reported from Hungary from the Lower Miocene, which resembles rather the recent Sabal. The above-mentioned petrifaction is essentially different from this and, therefore, it has been described under a new name: Palmoxylon hungaricum Greg.