An Eocene Macroflora From the Taratu Formation at Livingstone, North Otago, New Zealand

Abstract

A macrofloral fossil assemblage from fluvial Taratu Formation sediments of Waipawan to Bortonian (Early to Middle Eocene) age, near Livingstone, North Otago, New Zealand, is described. The assemblage yielded two indeterminate coniferous taxa, thirteen taxa of angiosperm leaves, including Myrtaceae (aff. Eucalyptus, and aff. Rhodomyrtus/Rhodamnia), Proteaceae (cf. Orites excelsa), Sterculiaceae (Brachychiton populneus), Elaeocarpaceae (Sloanea), probable Lauraceae, possible Passifloraceae and two kinds of Myrtaceae reproductive structures. The original community is compared with extant vegetation in Australia and rainfall may have been seasonal.