Abstract

ANZOTEGUI, Luisa M.; GARRALLA, Silvina S.  and  HERBST, Rafael. Fabaceae from the El Morterito Formation (Upper Miocene), valle del Cajón, Catamarca province, Argentina. Ameghiniana [online]. 2007, vol.44, n.1, pp.183-196. ISSN 1851-8044.

Fabaceae leaves from the floral assemblage of the El Morterito Formation (Upper Miocene) from the valle del Cajón in Catamarca Province, Argentina, are described. The taxa are assigned to Caesalpinoideae: Senna cf. bicapsularis (L.) Rouxbourgh, Senna cf. obtusifolia (L.) Irwin and Barneby, Chamaecrista cf. flexuosa (L) Greene; to Mimosoideae: Mimosa cf. flagellaris, Bentham, Mimosa sp., Prosopis sp. 1; and to Papiliodoideae: Desmodium cf. ascendens (Swart) De Candolle, cf. Desmodium sp., Eriosema sp. and Tipuana tipu (Bentham) Kuntze. These species are compared with those treated in older literature and, also, some taxonomic considerations are made. Based on the characters of the most similar living taxa and additional sedimentological, invertebrate and vertebrate fossil data, an open dry environment with xerophytic vegetation is inferred, associated with more humid habitats with riparian forests, characteristic of a warm climate.

Keywords : Fabaceae; Leaf impressions; Upper Miocene; Catamarca; Argentina.