History of the family Malpighiaceae in Australia and its biogeographic implications: evidence from pollen

Abstract

Three pollen types of the family Malpighiaceae have been identified in the Tertiary fossil record of south-eastern Australia. There are two species of the family native to Australia and they have the same pollen type. There was thus a greater diversity of malpighiaceous taxa during the Tertiary than there is today. The family is found mainly in tropical regions and it is thought that northern South America was the centre of origin. The restriction of the two species to coastal north-eastern Australia suggests recent migration into the area and gives no hint of the long history of the family in Australia.