A splinter of charred oleaceous wood from late early Eocene volcanoclastic deposits of Germany

A charred wood splinter from the Messel Pit fossil site, Germany, provides rare insight into the region's Early Eocene flora. The specimen, dated to 48.27–48.11 million years ago, belongs to the Oleaceae family and shares anatomical features with modern genera like Olea, Chionanthus, and Noronhia. Despite its small size, the splinter's well-preserved structure allows for taxonomic placement within the drupaceous subtribe Oleinae. The wood likely originated from a local tree that was charred during a low-intensity phreatomagmatic eruption, offering direct evidence of vegetation in this UNESCO-listed site.

Haag, V., & Wilde, V. (2024). A splinter of charred oleaceous wood from late early Eocene volcanoclastic deposits of Germany. IAWA Journal, 45(4), 444–456. https://doi.org/10.1163/22941932-bja10155