An unusual osmundaceous specimen from Antarctica

• Published in: Canadian Journal of Botany
• Main Author: Schopf, James M.
• Format: Article in Journal/Newspaper
• Language: English
• Published: Canadian Science Publishing 1978
• Subjects: Plant Science; Antarctic; Argentine; Antarc*; Antarctica
• Online Access: http://dx.doi.org/10.1139/b78-371; http://www.nrcresearchpress.com/doi/pdf/10.1139/b78-371

An Antarctic specimen chiefily consisting of the osmundine root mat and including branched stems of a fern, assignable to a new species Osmundacaulis beardmorensis, is described and illustrated. Delicate tissues are generally not preserved and no separate petioles can be recognized. Nevertheless, the Early Triassic age of this specimen is well established and the features that can be described seem to fit generally into an intermediate position between Osmundacaulis herstii of the Argentine Late Triassic and Palaeosmunda of the Late Permian from Australia. Secretory islands in petiolar areas seem to be distinctive. The species further illustrates the long established cosmopolitan distribution of members of the Osmundaceae.