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A late Miocene leaf assemblage from Vrysses, western Crete, Greece, and its paleoenvironmental and paleoclimatic interpretation

Giannis ZIDIANAKIS, Barbara A. R. MOHR & Charalampos FASSOULAS

en Geodiversitas 29 (3) - Pages 351-377

Published on 28 September 2007

A new leaf impression flora is described from late Miocene marly sediments (6-7.5 Ma) near the village of Vrysses in northwestern Crete, Greece. The studied plant remains represent more than 30 taxa of conifers and angiosperms. Deciduous broad-leaved woody plants such as Acer pseudomonspessulanum, 5‑lobed Acer, Ziziphus ziziphoides, Parrotiapristina, Populus tremula, Salix sp. and Juglandaceae, prevail in this leaf assemblage. These plants are associated with sclerophyllous, evergreen taxa (Quercus mediterranea, Quercus sp., Buxus pliocenica and Pinus sp.) and a few subtropical Miocene elements (Daphnogene polymorpha, Tetraclinis sp.). A regional vegetation reconstruction is developed based on the ecological affinities of the nearest living relatives. The climate conditions are deduced from the physiognomy and composition of the Vrysses plant assemblage. They indicate a warm-humid climate possibly with a weakly developed dry period during the summer months.


Keywords:

Late Miocene, Crete, Greece, leaves, paleovegetation, paleoclimate

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