XVI International Botanical Congess

Most modern mangrove genera certainly root in the Paleocene-Eocene times (European and Caribbean pollens), except Nypa worldwide dispersed since the Late Cretaceous. A pan tropical and subtropical distribution characterizes this first Tethian expansion ending during the late eocene cooling phase and followed by a second segmented expansion (2 provinces) during Neogene times. Earlier mangroves, including their supposed Triassic, Jurassic or Early Cretaceous emergence still need demonstrative, indirect evidences. However, where and when characteristic modern pollens, woods, roots and fruits are absent, sedimentology and geochemical data occasionally provide use indications. Mollusk assemblages (Cenozoic) or oysters with attachment mods are reliable tokens providing their identification is highly critical. Similarly, paleogeographic reconstructions of genera and species migrations need accurate palinspastic maps.