A refugium of Mastixia in the late Miocene of eastern Central Europe

Fruit endocarps assigned to Mastixia amygdalaeformis provide the first evidence that mastixioid plants were present in the Pannonian Basin. Fossils were collected from the upper Miocene (Tortonian, regional stratigraphy: Pannonian) deposits of the Rudabánya-Vilmos outcrop which is close to the mammal locality yielding the famous remains of Rudapithecus hungaricus. The accompanying flora indicates mainly swamp and aquatic associations and comprises dominantly deciduous elements. A relict element of the flora, Daphnogene (Lauraceae) has the last occurrence documented from Hungary. Fruits of Mastixia from the upper Miocene locality at Rudabánya indicate an additional European refugium of “younger mastixioid” floras in the Pannonian Basin. The late Miocene landscape, palaeoecology and palaeogeography of the Pannonian Basin, was basically determined by Lake Pannon. The presence of a mastixioid flora corroborates a humid, warm temperate climate and the establishment of habitats providing refuge of thermophilic elements close to the lake.