Pityostrobus Palmeri, a New Species of Petrified Conifer Cones From the Late Cretaceous of New Jersey

Description of Pityostrobus palmeri is based on a single specimen from an exposure of the Magothy Formation on Raritan Bay east of Cliffwood, New Jersey. The cone is cylindrical, 15.5 cm long, and 4.5 cm in diam. Numerous ovuliferous scales 30–35 mm long are arranged spirally around the central axis. A bract about 4 mm long subtends each scale and is fused to it for about 2 mm. Two winged seeds occur on the adaxial side of each scale. Although the scale apices are inflated as in Pinus , the vascular system resembles that of Cedrus in being weakly developed throughout the cone. The combination of these and other Pinus and Cedrus features in the fossil precludes assignment of the fossil to either of these Recent genera. This is the first report of a Pityostrobus in North America.