A new late Miocene (Tortonian) leaf flora has recently been recovered in the southernmost part of Europe on the island of Gavdos, Greece. So far, three conifers (Tetraclinis salicornioides, Taxodium dubium and Pinus sp.) and 27 fossil species/morphotypes of angiosperms have been recognized. Among them, some represent subtropical, partly evergreen woody elements (e.g. Daphnogene sp., Laurophyllum sp., Myrica lignitum), some others (e.g., ?Sassafras, Fagus gussonii, Ulmus, Acer angustilobum, Populus populina, Ailanthus pythii, Paliurus tiliifolius, several legumes) belong to deciduous shrubs or trees. The number of the determined angiosperms is sufficient for using statistical techniques to estimate palaeoclimate (LMA, CLAMP, CA) and to reconstruct the palaeovegetation (phytosociological approach, IPR-vegetation analysis).The Gavdos flora is based on leaf impressions and allows correlations with other Greek floras of almost the same age, namely from Crete-Vrysses (latest Tortonian to Messinian, ca. 7.5-6.0 Ma), Makrilia (late Tortonian, ca. 8.6-7.7 Ma) and Pitsidia, Messara Basin (early Tortonian, ca. 10.5 Ma), while that from Vegora, Macedonia (Messinian, ca. 7-6 Ma) may document further trends in the late Miocene.

Several specimens of Lauraceae fossil wood from the Cenozoic of Greece (southern part of Lesbos), the Czech Republic (Kadaň-Zadní Vrch Hill and Jáchymov), and Hungary (Ipolytarnóc) were studied. When considering whether they belonged to the speciose fossil wood genus Laurinoxylon, we reviewed the literature and data from InsideWood on fossil and modern woods. As a result, we propose criteria for excluding a fossil Lauraceae wood from Laurinoxylon and list the species that should be excluded from this genus. The criteria (filters) proposed to exclude a genus from having relationships with Laurinoxylon are: A. Axial parenchyma features: A1. Marginal axial parenchyma, A2. Aliform to aliform-confluent paratracheal parenchyma. B. Ray features: B1. Rays higher than 1 mm, B2. Exclusively homocellular rays, B3. Rays more than 5 cells wide, B4. Rays storied. C. Porosity features: Ring-porous. D. Idioblasts: Absence of idioblasts. Based on the distribution of idioblasts, we recognize four groups in Laurinoxylon (Type 1 - with idioblasts associated only with ray parenchyma cells, Type 2a - with idioblasts associated with both ray and axial parenchyma, Type 2b - with idioblasts associated both with rays and present among the fibres, and Type 3 - with idioblasts associated with ray and axial parenchyma and also among the fibres) and list the extant genera with features of those groups. Such grouping helps with interpreting the relationships of fossil lauraceous woods with extant genera. We discuss the Oligocene–Miocene European species that belong to these Laurinoxylon groups, noting that some warrant reassignment to different genera or even families. Future studies are needed to determine whether new genera should be established to accommodate these species. We propose the new combination Cinnamomoxylon variabile (Privé-Gill & Pelletier) Mantzouka, Karakitsios, Sakala & Wheeler.

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The present contribution brings new scientific data for the palaeoflora of Lesbos based on new collections of plant fossils which were discovered in 2011 at six new localities from the southern part of Lesbos Island. This study resumes the published data both on the palaeovegetation of the Petrified Forest and the palaeogeography of Lesbos Island during the Neogene. The new palaeobotanical study with more than seventy new samples of fossilized wood from the broader area of Polichnitos region gives new information about the palaeobotanical and palaeontological content of this area. It is reported for the first time here the existence of a diversified fossil wood assemblage from the southern part of the Island as long as the identification of three types of lauraceous wood according to their idioblasts characteristics.

Abstract Two specimens of fossil lauraceous woods from the Cainozoic (early Miocene) of Greece (southern part of Lesbos Island and central-eastern part of Lemnos Island) were studied. Their microscopic characteristics revealed two different kinds of fossil lauraceous woods with a different distribution of idioblasts (oil and/or mucilage cells) which do not correspond to the pattern in Laurinoxylon. The determination as two new species of Cryptocaryoxylon (C. lesbium sp. nov., C. lemnium sp. nov.) is proposed. A discussion of described Cryptocaryoxylon species, which have a worldwide distribution, is also presented. The assignment of the two Greek specimens to the genus Cryptocaryoxylon and their nomination as the first occurrences of this genus from the Neogene of Eurasia is supported.