Microvictoria

Microvictoria Temporal range: 93.9–89.8  Ma PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N ↓ Turonian, late Cretaceous [1]
Scientific classification (disputed)
Kingdom:	Plantae
Clade:	Tracheophytes
Clade:	Angiosperms
Order:	Nymphaeales
Family:	Nymphaeaceae
Genus:	† Microvictoria Nixon, Gandolfo & Crepet [1]
Species:	†M. svitkoana
Binomial name
†Microvictoria svitkoana Nixon, Gandolfo & Crepet [1]

Microvictoria svitkoana is a fossil species of aquatic plant, which occurred in the Cretaceous period of New Jersey, USA. ^[1]

Description

Generative characteristics

The pedunculate, actinomorphic flowers are 2.3-3.4 mm long, and 1.2-1.6 mm wide. The peduncle is 0.4-1.8 mm long. Both staminoids and fertile stamens are present. ^[1]

Taxonomy

Publication

It was published by Maria Alejandra Gandolfo, Kevin C. Nixon, and William L. Crepet in 2004. ^[1]

Type specimen

The type specimen was collected in the Old Crossman Clay Pit, Sayreville, New Jersey, USA. ^[1]

Position within Nymphaeales

It is placed in the family Nymphaeaceae. ^[1] This placement has been questioned by different authors, who believe it may be placed outside of the order Nymphaeales. ^{[2] [3]} It has been proposed to include it in a newly described family Microvictoriaceae Doweld with a possible affinity to the order Illiciales. ^[4]

Etymology

The generic name Microvictoria expresses an affinity to the extant genus Victoria. The specific epithet svitkoana honours Jennifer L. Svitko, ^[1] a lab technician of the Cornell University. ^{[5] [6]}

Ecology

Pollination

It was pollinated by insects. ^[7]

References

1. Gandolfo, M. A., Nixon, K. C., & Crepet, W. L. (2004). "Cretaceous flowers of Nymphaeaceae and implications for complex insect entrapment pollination mechanisms in early angiosperms." Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, 101(21), 8056-8060.
2. Friis, E. M., Crane, P. R., & Pedersen, K. R. (2011). "Early Flowers and angiosperm evolution." p. 204. Cambridge University Press.
3. Löhne, C. (2006). "Molecular Phylogenetics and Historical Biogeography of Basal Angiosperms – A Case Study in Nymphaeales" [Dissertation, Rheinischen Friedrich–Wilhelms–Universität Bonn].
4. Doweld A.B. 2022. New names of fossil Nymphaeaceae and allied forms. Geophytology 52(1&2): 1–28.
5. Jennifer Svitko. (n.d.). Cornell CALS. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://cals.cornell.edu/jennifer-svitko
6. Lab members. (n.d.). Cornell University. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://bhort.bh.cornell.edu/histology/memb.html
7. Angiosperm Pollination. (2021, August 24). Digital Atlas of Ancient Life. Retrieved February 6, 2024, from https://www.digitalatlasofancientlife.org/learn/embryophytes/angiosperms/angiosperm_pollination/