Pleistocene flora of Rio Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica

The Puerto Viejo Pleistocene megafossil flora presented here is based on fossil leaves, fruits, and seeds from the banks of Rio Puerto Viejo, Costa Rica. Eleven types of plant megafossils are described in this study, including Laurophyllum, Oxandra, Piperites, Ingeae, Parinari, Sacoglottis, Byrsonima, and Pouteria. Detailed morphological and anatomical data are provided for each taxon. Although the Puerto Viejo site is situated in the Atlantic Lowland Tropical Wet Forest today, the fossil flora suggests a relationship with nearby modern forests at slightly higher elevation, and cooler paleotemperatures than at present.