Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales)
Premise of research. Few reproductive organs unequivocally attributable to the important but enigmatic Mesozoic seed plant order Bennettitales have been described from the Triassic of all of North America outside of Greenland. Here, the first ovulate reproductive organs (gynoecia) of the group from...
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Language: | English |
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Enheten för paleobiologi
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ftnrm:oai:DiVA.org:nrm-1450 2023-05-15T16:29:55+02:00 Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) Pott, Christian Axsmith, Brian 2015 application/pdf http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:nrm:diva-1450 https://doi.org/10.1086/679471 eng eng Enheten för paleobiologi Department of Biology, University of South Alabama, Mobile, Alabama 36688, USA International journal of plant sciences, 1058-5893, 2015, 176, s. 174-185 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:nrm:diva-1450 doi:10.1086/679471 info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess Carnian bennettitalean reproductive structures bennettitalean foliage Newark Supergroup Deep River Basin Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap Article in journal info:eu-repo/semantics/article text 2015 ftnrm https://doi.org/10.1086/679471 2021-10-08T07:21:15Z Premise of research. Few reproductive organs unequivocally attributable to the important but enigmatic Mesozoic seed plant order Bennettitales have been described from the Triassic of all of North America outside of Greenland. Here, the first ovulate reproductive organs (gynoecia) of the group from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America are described and assigned to a proposed new species, Williamsonia carolinensis, of the family Williamsoniaceae. Methodology. The excellently preserved plant fossils were investigated using cuticular analysis and light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Pivotal results. The description is based on 10 specimens from the Late Triassic (Carnian) Pekin Formation of North Carolina. They are interpreted as representing progressive developmental stages. Williamsonia carolinensis lacks a corona (sterile apical projection of the receptacle) and bracts subtending the receptacle. The lack of bracts is particularly unusual and appears to be the original condition and not apreservation artifact based on their absence even on immature specimens. The two largest specimens, interpreted as mature gynoecia, occur together on the same slab in exclusive association with the unusual bennettitalean leaf Eoginkgoites, suggesting that these organs were produced by the same parent plant species. Conclusions. The unique features of W. carolinensis, along with the probable affinity with Eoginkgoites foliage, expands the known diversity of the Williamsoniaceae and supports previous suggestions of remarkably high levels of morphological disparity in the earliest history of the Bennettitales. Article in Journal/Newspaper Greenland Swedish Museum of Natural History: Publications (DiVA) Greenland International Journal of Plant Sciences 176 2 174 185 |
institution |
Open Polar |
collection |
Swedish Museum of Natural History: Publications (DiVA) |
op_collection_id |
ftnrm |
language |
English |
topic |
Carnian bennettitalean reproductive structures bennettitalean foliage Newark Supergroup Deep River Basin Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap |
spellingShingle |
Carnian bennettitalean reproductive structures bennettitalean foliage Newark Supergroup Deep River Basin Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap Pott, Christian Axsmith, Brian Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
topic_facet |
Carnian bennettitalean reproductive structures bennettitalean foliage Newark Supergroup Deep River Basin Other Earth and Related Environmental Sciences Annan geovetenskap och miljövetenskap |
description |
Premise of research. Few reproductive organs unequivocally attributable to the important but enigmatic Mesozoic seed plant order Bennettitales have been described from the Triassic of all of North America outside of Greenland. Here, the first ovulate reproductive organs (gynoecia) of the group from the Upper Triassic of eastern North America are described and assigned to a proposed new species, Williamsonia carolinensis, of the family Williamsoniaceae. Methodology. The excellently preserved plant fossils were investigated using cuticular analysis and light, fluorescence, and scanning electron microscopy. Pivotal results. The description is based on 10 specimens from the Late Triassic (Carnian) Pekin Formation of North Carolina. They are interpreted as representing progressive developmental stages. Williamsonia carolinensis lacks a corona (sterile apical projection of the receptacle) and bracts subtending the receptacle. The lack of bracts is particularly unusual and appears to be the original condition and not apreservation artifact based on their absence even on immature specimens. The two largest specimens, interpreted as mature gynoecia, occur together on the same slab in exclusive association with the unusual bennettitalean leaf Eoginkgoites, suggesting that these organs were produced by the same parent plant species. Conclusions. The unique features of W. carolinensis, along with the probable affinity with Eoginkgoites foliage, expands the known diversity of the Williamsoniaceae and supports previous suggestions of remarkably high levels of morphological disparity in the earliest history of the Bennettitales. |
format |
Article in Journal/Newspaper |
author |
Pott, Christian Axsmith, Brian |
author_facet |
Pott, Christian Axsmith, Brian |
author_sort |
Pott, Christian |
title |
Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
title_short |
Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
title_full |
Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
title_fullStr |
Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
title_full_unstemmed |
Williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated Eoginkgoites foliage from the Upper Triassic Pekin Formation: Implications for early evolution in Williamsoniaceae (Bennettitales) |
title_sort |
williamsonia carolinensis sp. nov. and associated eoginkgoites foliage from the upper triassic pekin formation: implications for early evolution in williamsoniaceae (bennettitales) |
publisher |
Enheten för paleobiologi |
publishDate |
2015 |
url |
http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:nrm:diva-1450 https://doi.org/10.1086/679471 |
geographic |
Greenland |
geographic_facet |
Greenland |
genre |
Greenland |
genre_facet |
Greenland |
op_relation |
International journal of plant sciences, 1058-5893, 2015, 176, s. 174-185 http://urn.kb.se/resolve?urn=urn:nbn:se:nrm:diva-1450 doi:10.1086/679471 |
op_rights |
info:eu-repo/semantics/openAccess |
op_doi |
https://doi.org/10.1086/679471 |
container_title |
International Journal of Plant Sciences |
container_volume |
176 |
container_issue |
2 |
container_start_page |
174 |
op_container_end_page |
185 |
_version_ |
1766019621430755328 |