01944naa a2200157 a 450000100080000000500110000800800410001902200140006010000220007424501580009626000090025452014290026365300140169270000170170677300630172316329782023-03-30       1993    bl uuuu     u00u1 u    #d  a0002-91221 aMANCHESTER, S. R.  aFossil bananas (Musaceae) Ensete oregonese sp. nov. from the eocene of western North America and its phytogeographic significance.h[electronic resource]  c1993  aFossil seeds of Ensete, a genus presently native to Asia and Africa, have been recoverd from the middle Eoceme of Oregon, confirming the presence of Musaceae in the North American Teriary. The seed of Ensete oregonese sp. nov. is operculate, with a well-defined micropylar collar, a pronounced chalazal chamber, and a wide hilar cavity. A survey of seed morphology in extant Zingiberales provides characters from distinguishing Musaceae from other families of the order, furnishes criteria for distinguishing the three extant genera of Musaceae (Musa, Ensete and Musella), and facilitates critical assessment of fossil seed remains. "Musa" cardiosperma Jain from the Cretaceous/Tertiary boundary Deccan Series of India is excluded from Musaceae (although retained in Zingiberales) on basis of fruit and characters, including the lack of laticifers and absence of a chalazal chamber. We reexamined the musaceous seeds from Colombia that previously were described as Tertiary fossils (Musa enseteformis Berry, 1925) and now believe that they are recent, nonfossil ramains, evidently from Ensete ventricosum, which is grown in the region where the specimes were origunally obtained. In addition, a reputed fossil banana fruit from the Cretaceous of Colombia was reexamined to be a concretion of nonbiological origin. Ensete oregonense is significant, therefore, as the first unequivocal fossil record of Emsete and of Musaceae.  aMofologia1 aKRESS, W. J.  tAmerican Journal of Botanygv.80, n.11, p.1264-1272, 1993.