A new late Westphalian fossil marattialean fern from Nova Scotia

0145739 - GLU-S 20033110 RIV GB eng J - Journal Article
Pšenička, J. - Bek, Jiří - Zodrow, E. - Cleal, J. CH. - Hemsley, A. R.
A new late Westphalian fossil marattialean fern from Nova Scotia.
Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society. Roč. 142, č. 2 (2003), s. 199-212. ISSN 0024-4074. E-ISSN 1095-8339
Institutional research plan: CEZ:AV0Z3013912
Keywords : Pennsylvanian * sporangia * spores
Subject RIV: DB - Geology ; Mineralogy
Impact factor: 0.871, year: 2003

Sydneia manleyi gen. et sp. nov. is based on part a fertile frond from the upper Westphalian D of the Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada. It has small synangia composed of laterally fused sporangia that are elongate and with a circular cross-section. The sporangia yielded variably sized monolete and trilete spores with laevigate and microspinate ornamentation; intermediate forms were also observed. The spores can be correlated with the sporae dispersae species Latosporites minutus, Punctatosporites oculus and Laevigatosporites minimus. Size distribution of the spores is variable and highly skewed, suggesting heterogeneity of the spores within the sporangium. Spore ultrastructure indicates that the fossil is part of a fern, and the morphology of the spores and synangia indicate marattialean affinities.
Permanent Link: http://hdl.handle.net/11104/0043288