Research Article| October 01, 2014 Variations in angiosperm leaf vein density have implications for interpreting life form in the fossil record Camilla Crifò; Camilla Crifò 1Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, 114 Shideler Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá *Current address: Department of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; E-mail: crifoc@uw.edu. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Ellen D. Currano; Ellen D. Currano 1Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, 114 Shideler Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA †Current address: Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA. Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar A. Baresch; A. Baresch 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá3Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Building 320, Stanford, California 94305, USA Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar C. Jaramillo C. Jaramillo 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá Search for other works by this author on: GSW Google Scholar Author and Article Information Camilla Crifò *Current address: Department of Biology, University of Washington, Box 351800, Seattle, Washington 98195, USA; E-mail: crifoc@uw.edu. 1Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, 114 Shideler Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá Ellen D. Currano †Current address: Department of Botany, University of Wyoming, 1000 E. University Ave, Laramie, Wyoming 82071, USA. 1Department of Geology and Environmental Earth Science, Miami University, 114 Shideler Hall, Oxford, Ohio 45056, USA A. Baresch 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá3Department of Geological & Environmental Sciences, Stanford University, 450 Serra Mall, Building 320, Stanford, California 94305, USA C. Jaramillo 2Smithsonian Tropical Research Institute, Box 0843-03092, Balboa, Ancón, Republic of Panamá Publisher: Geological Society of America Received: 30 Apr 2014 Revision Received: 01 Aug 2014 Accepted: 03 Aug 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Online ISSN: 1943-2682 Print ISSN: 0091-7613 © 2014 Geological Society of America Geology (2014) 42 (10): 919–922. https://doi.org/10.1130/G35828.1 Article history Received: 30 Apr 2014 Revision Received: 01 Aug 2014 Accepted: 03 Aug 2014 First Online: 09 Mar 2017 Cite View This Citation Add to Citation Manager Share Icon Share Facebook Twitter LinkedIn Email Permissions Search Site Citation Camilla Crifò, Ellen D. Currano, A. Baresch, C. Jaramillo; Variations in angiosperm leaf vein density have implications for interpreting life form in the fossil record. Geology 2014;; 42 (10): 919–922. doi: https://doi.org/10.1130/G35828.1 Download citation file: Ris (Zotero) Refmanager EasyBib Bookends Mendeley Papers EndNote RefWorks BibTex toolbar search Search Dropdown Menu toolbar search search input Search input auto suggest filter your search All ContentBy SocietyGeology Search Advanced Search Abstract It is often difficult to interpret plant life form and position within a forest based on fossils of isolated plant organs. Here we propose leaf vein density as a new tool to interpret fossil angiosperm life form, and in particular to trace the emergence of angiosperms as members of the canopy. Angiosperm leaf vein density was analyzed in two tropical forests and one temperate forest. Comparisons of vein density between canopy and understory plants showed that vein density variation mainly reflected the position of the leaf in the canopy, independent of ecological strategy (shade tolerant versus sun demanding), phylogenetic position, and site (tropical versus temperate). Vein density values of a standing forest were reflected in its leaf litter, suggesting that fossil leaf assemblages are representative of past forest ecosystems. Comparison of vein density distributions of Cretaceous–Paleocene paleofloras (132.35–58.0 Ma) to those of a modern tropical leaf litter assemblage suggests that angiosperms emerged in forest canopies by at least 58 Ma. You do not have access to this content, please speak to your institutional administrator if you feel you should have access.