A New Fossil Flower of the Genus Vouarana (Sapindaceae) in Amber from the Dominican Republic

Abstract

Vouarana hispaniolae (Sapindaceae) is described as a new fossil flower in Dominican Republic amber. The flower is functionally staminate and is characterized by an actinomorphic corolla with 5 distinct, imbricate sepals that are ciliate on their margins, and closely appressed to surface of the receptacle; petals presumable 5, two partly visible are rhombic to triangular in shape; stamens 8, outstretched, filaments bearing thick setae at base; anthers square, basifixed, some retuse at apex, dehiscing via longitudinal slits, central pistillode short, setose; extra-nectary disc entire; pollen trigonous, glabrous and smooth. The fossil species differs from the two extant species of Vouarana that range from Costa Rica to northern Brazil by possessing a uniform covering of bristly setae over the entire receptacle, appressed sepals and square basifixed anthers. This specimen represents the first fossil flower of the Sapindaceae from the Neotropics.