Fossil fruits of Reevesia (Malvaceae, subfam. Helicteroideae) and associated plant organs (seeds, foliage) from the Lower Miocene of North Bohemia (Czech Republic)

The first fossil fruits, seeds and leaves of Reevesia LINDL., a genus of Malvaceae (subfam. Helicteroideae) previously known only from dispersed pollen (Reevesiapollis KRUTZSCH) and wood (Reevesia japonoxyla TERADA & M. SUZUKI) in the Tertiary, are reported. The associated organs have been recovered in the Bilina opencast mine within the Most Basin in North Bohemia, Early Miocene in age. Detached fruit valves of Reevesia hurnikii KVACEK n. sp. share all important characters with those of the loculicidal obovoid capsules produced by the extant members of Reevesia (E Himalayas to Taiwan and Yunnan, and - as Veeresia - Central America). Associated winged seeds sharing the overall morphology with those of Reevesia (and some other genera) are assigned to Saportaspermum sp. Abundant associated foliage corresponds to an already well-known species "Ficus" truncata HEER sensu BUZEK (1971) and matches in gross morphology various malvalean genera, including some species of Reevesia from SE China.