MESOZOIC DIVERSITY OF OSMUNDACEAE: OSMUNDACAULIS WHITTLESII SP NOV IN THE EARLY CRETACEOUS OF WESTERN CANADA

作者：Smith MacKenzie A; Rothwell Gar W^*; Stockey Ruth A

来源：International Journal of Plant Sciences, 2015, 176(3): 245-258.

DOI：10.1086/679352

• Albian
• Early Cretaceous
• Haida Gwaii
• Mesozoic
• Osmundacaulis
• Osmundaceae

Premise of research.A distinctive new species of osmundaceous fern, based on a permineralized trunk from Lower Cretaceous deposits of Haida Gwaii (formerly the Queen Charlotte Islands) off the west coast of mainland Canada, provides additional data for addressing the Mesozoic diversity and the overall pattern of phylogeny for osmundaceous filicalean ferns.Methodology.The specimen was cut into segments and studied from both external morphology and anatomical sections prepared by the cellulose acetate peel technique. Microscope slides of sections were examined, and images were captured under transmitted light.Pivotal results.The fossil represents a new species of Osmundacaulis, which is only the third Northern Hemisphere representative of this predominantly Southern Hemisphere genus.Conclusions.Osmundacaulis whittlesii sp. nov. increases the Northern Hemisphere diversity of Cretaceous Osmundaceae, thus providing new data about Mesozoic diversity of the clade, potential sister-group relationships of crown-group Osmundaceae, and the overall pattern of phylogeny for Osmundaceae.

• 出版日期2015-4