Fungal Spores in the Cullen Formation (Tertiari) in Tierra del Fuego, Argentina.

GARCÍA MASSINI J. L. , ZAMALOA, M. C. , ROMERO, E. J.

Saint Louis, Missouri, USA

Congreso; XVI International Botanical Congress; 1999

Abstract The Cullen formation includes reduced exposures located in the NE section of the Isla Grande in Tierra del Fuego. It extends from P. Catalina in Chile up to 8 km north of the estuary of the Cullen River in Argentina. We present here the palynological content of a sample collected near Ref. I of the international border. It shows a rich variety of fungal spores, hyphae and stroma at different levels of the section. Of 107 morphological types 41 showed aseptate morphology and the rest were septate. The former were more abundant in the higher levels, while the lower levels were enriched in the latter and, therefore, a humid and sun-protected area, therefore, palustral environments and coastal forests. Also consistent with this interpretation was the detection of pollen grains and spores from superior plants found in the same levels.