A FOSSIL PALM FRUIT FROM THE MIDDLE EOCENE OF 

 NORTHWESTERN PERU 



By Edward W. Berry 

 Of Johns Hopkins University, BnUimore, Maryland 



Calcified nuts of a palm are not uncommon at Negritos in north- 

 western Pern in the lower part of the Lobitos formation as delimited 

 by Bosworth.^ The horizon, accordinir to the collector, Dr. A. A. 

 Olsson, is middle Eocene and about the same as the upper Claiborne 

 of southeastern North America, that is to say, Auversian according 

 to the European scale. 



These nuts are somewliat larger than walnuts, mostly decorticated, 

 and their interiors show no structural details. They appear to me to 

 be referable to the genus Asfroc(n'>/vm., and are named in recognition 

 of the collector, who has done such excellent work in northwestern 

 Peru. The types are deposited in the United States National Mu- 

 seum. 



ASTROCARYUM OLSSONI, new species 



Fruits as j^reserved varying in form from subspheroidal to prolate, 

 more or less pointed distad and flattened proximad so that they are 

 ovate in profile. They are usually widest at or below the middle, and 

 full and rounded, or even truncate at the base. The upper half is 

 always more or less narrowed and may be somewhat produced and 

 pointed. Their dimensions range from 3.75 to 5.25 cm. in length, 

 and from 2.5 to 3.75 in maximum diameter. Despite the considerable 

 variation in form and size they are believed to represent but a single 

 species, since all of a dozen specimens are identical in surface 

 markings. 



The outer fibrous coat, which is preserved in patches on most of 

 the speciments, is nowhere over 2 mm. in thickness, although in no 

 case is it certain that its original thickness has been calcified and 

 preserved. It consists of stout longitudinal fibers. These can be seen 

 over part of figure 2. The inner layer, which comprises the greater 



1 Bosworth, T. O., Geology of the Tertiary and Quaternary Periods in the Northwest 

 Part of Peru. London, 1922. 



No. 2652-Proceedings U. S. National Museum, Vol. 70. Art. 3. 



3102—26 



