First fossil record of mulberry from Asia

Abstract Although Asia shows moderate species richness of mulberry (Morus L.) today, unfortunately no mulberry fossil has been reported from the Cenozoic sediments of this continent to date. Here, we report for the first time the occurrence of leaf remains (both impression and compression) having similarity with modern leaves of Morus from the early Eocene sedimentary sequences of the Gurha opencast lignite Mine, western Rajasthan, India. The fossil specimens characterized by a heart-shaped ovate lamina, cordate base, long petiole, crenate–serrate margin, actinodromous nature of primary veins and craspedodromous type of secondary venation pattern are recognized as Morus asiatica Patel, Rana and Khan sp. nov. This record suggests that mulberry was an important component of tropical–subtropical evergreen forests growing in a warm humid climate in the area of north-western India during the Eocene. This taxon subsequently declined from the local present-day dry and desertic vegetation probably because of the drastic climate and latitudinal change in the area, related to the Himalayan Orogeny and rainfall seasonality since the Eocene.