Banksieaephyllum Cuneatum

''Banksieaephyllum'' is a plant genus that encompasses organically preserved fossil leaves that can be attributed to the Proteaceae tribe Banksieae, but cannot be attributed to a genus.

Before 1950, many fossil leaves were attributed to the genera ''Banksia'' and ''Dryandra''. In most cases, leaves with triangular lobes were associated with ''Dryandra'', and leaves with serration were associated with ''Banksia''. In 1950, Isabel Cookson and Suzanne Duigan showed this policy to be flawed, by demonstrating that the leaves of the two genera cannot be reliably distinguished. Since these two genera then comprised tribe Banksieae, Cookson and Duigan erected ''Banksieaephyllum'' to contain such leaves.

Since then, ''Banksia'' and ''Dryandra'' have been further grouped into subtribe Banksiinae, and another subtribe, Musgraveinae, erected to contain two new genera. Interpretations of ''Banksieaephyllum'' are now no longer consistent. Some botanists continue to hold that ''Banksieaephyllum'' is for fossil leaves that can be attributed to Banksieae but not to a genus; that is, they include fossils that cannot be excluded from the Musgravinae. Others hold that Cookson and Duigan's intentions were for the genus to hold fossil leaves that are known to be ''Dryandra'' or ''Banksia'', but cannot be attributed to either with certainty; thus they now define the genus in terms of Banksiinae rather than Banksieae.

''Dryandra'' has now been transferred into ''Banksia''. Although as yet undetermined, the latter interpretation would result in ''Banksieaephyllum'' becoming a nomenclatural synonym of ''Banksia''.

Fossils ascribed to ''Banksieaephyllum'' have been found in sediments dating from the Paleocene to early Miocene (). In 1998, the most recent synopsis, there were 16 species, including:
* '' Banksieaephyllum acuminatum'' Oligocene, Latrobe Valley, Victoria.
* '' Banksieaephyllum angustum'' Latrobe Valley - has long narrow leaves resembling ''Banksia candolleana'' or '' B. formosa''.
* '' Banksieaephyllum attenuatum'' - possibly not a member of proteaceae.
* '' Banksieaephyllum cuneatum'' Early Eocene (Deans Marsh and Anglesea, Victoria) and Middle Eocene (Golden Grove); may be more closely related to ''Musgravea''.
* '' Banksieaephyllum elongatus'' Late Oligocene - Early Miocene, Loy Yang, Victoria.
* '' Banksieaephyllum fastigatum'' Oligocene, Yallourn, Victoria.
* '' Banksieaephyllum incisum''
* '' Banksieaephyllum linearis'' Early Oligocene, Lake Cethana, Tasmania. Leaves up to 5.5 cm long and 6 mm wide, resembling ''Banksia spinulosa'' in appearance but has some cellular characteristics of ''Musgravea''.
* '' Banksieaephyllum longifolium''
* '' Banksieaephyllum obovatum''
* '' Banksieaephyllum orientalis'' Early Oligocene, Lake Cethana, Tasmania.
* '' Banksieaephyllum pinnatum'' Oligocene, Pioneer Tasmania
* '' Banksieaephyllum praefastigatum'' Late Paleocene, Cambalong Creek (near Bombala), southern New South Wales.
* '' Banksieaephyllum regularis'' - possibly not a member of proteaceae.
* '' Banksieaephyllum taylorii'' Late Palaeocene, Lake Bungarby, southeastern New South Wales.
* '' Banksieaephyllum urnifome'' Late Oligocene - Early Miocene, Morwell, Victoria
* '' Banksieaephyllum westdaliense''

However, Carpenter, Jordan & Hill (2016) transferred the species ''B. incisum'' and ''B. cuneatum'' to the separate genus '' Banksieaefolia'', while also transferring the species ''B. acuminatum'' to the genus ''Banksia'' and renaming it '' Banksia cooksoniae''. In addition, the authors excluded the species ''B. attenuatum'', ''B. longifolium'', ''B. pinnatum'', ''B. praefastigatum'', ''B. regularis'' and ''B. westdaliense'' from Banksieae and transferred those species to the separate genus '' Pseudobanksia''.

See also

* ''Banksieaeformis'', a genus for fossil leaves with the same architecture as ''Banksieaephyllum'', but without organic detail; like ''Banksieaephyllum'', these can be attributed to tribe Banksieae, but not to a genus.
* '' Banksieaeidites'', a genus for fossil pollen specimens that can be attributed to tribe Banksieae, but not to a genus.

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q4856771

Proteaceae
Proteales of Australia
Prehistoric angiosperm genera
Extinct flora of Australia
Eocene plants
Paleocene plants
Miocene plants
Oligocene plants
Proteaceae genera