Paleocene plant macrofossils from Kakahu, South Canterbury, New Zealand

A Paleocene plant macrofossil assemblage is described from the central South Island, New Zealand This includes a fern, Lygodium sp , and five species of conifer, including a new genus and species of Podocarpaceae, Kakahuia camphellu, and a new species of Prumnopitys, P opihiensis Eighteen angiosperm taxa include five which are considered to be Proteaceae One of these is Lomatia novae‐zelandiae sp nov , the first record of Lomatia in New Zealand, and the oldest currently known

Keywords:

• Paleocene
• Podocarpaceae
• Proteaceae
• paleobotany
• cuticle
• New Zealand

Notes

Department of Plant Science, University of Tasmania, G P O Box252C, Hobart, TAS 7001, Australia

Present address Department of Botany, University of Queensland, St Lucia, Brisbane, QLD 4072, Australia