| Title | Exceptional multi-organ Tilia fossils from Miocene Korea: A well-preserved fossil fower and evidence for higher diversity |
| Author | Chen, Hui-Hui |
| Publication | REVIEW OF PALAEOBOTANY AND PALYNOLOGY |
| Year | 2026 |
| Volume | 351 |
| Corresponding Author | Xing, YW;Jia, LB |
| Abstract | Abundant and exceptionally well-preserved Tilia macrofossils from Early and Middle Miocene deposits in Korea provide a rare multi-organ fossil record, including flowers, fruits (nutlets), bracts, and leaves. Notably, the material represents one of the most complete fossil flowers yet reported for Tilia, preserved with a beaker-shaped perianth and diagnostic internal lamellae, enabling confident floral-androecial interpretation. Systematic study documents two new species-T. pentagona sp. nov., characterized by a Type C leaf-like bract and a ribbed, mamillate nutlet with a pentagonal cross-section, and T. perpendicularis sp. nov., based on the well-preserved flower-and further assigns additional organs to T. tomentosella, T. asiatica, and T. miohenryana. In contrast to the two native species (T. amurensis and T. mandshurica) present in Korea today, our findings demonstrate that Miocene Korea supported a richer Tilia assemblage than today. A biogeographical synthesis, informed by the stratigraphic distribution of Tilia fossils and deep-time ecological niche modeling, indicates that suitable habitats encompassed Korea during the Miocene but contracted markedly thereafter, consistent with the Quaternary cooling. Together, our findings enrich the fossil record of Tilia and reveal that the favorable Miocene climates in Korea fostered a higher diversity of the genus. |
