Keraphyton Champr., Mey.-Berth. et Decombeix

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN003688

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:3688

Authors: A. Champreux, B. Meyer-Berthaud & A. L. Decombeix

Rank: genus

Reference for this name: Champreux, A., Meyer-Berthaud, B. & Decombeix, A. L. (2020): Keraphyton gen. nov., a new Late Devonian fern-like plant from Australia. – PeerJ 8: e9321 (1–20).

Type

Original diagnosis/description

Stem up to 20 mm in diameter, with primary tissues only. Vascular system actinostelic, consisting of four fundamental ribs united to a central segment. Fundamental ribs branching unequally, one branch dividing into two equal ultimate ribs, the other dividing in more ultimate ribs of distally decreasing dimensions. Protoxylem strands exarch to mesarch, at tip of ultimate ribs. Metaxylem tracheids from 20 to 140 µm in diameter, the smallest ones arranged in 1-2 layers along the lateral edges of the ribs. Tracheid walls showing scalariform to multiseriate bordered pit pairs with elliptical apertures. Endodermis-like cells consisting of rectangular cells up to 200 µm high and 120 µm periclinally. Inner cortical cells up to 160 µm in diameter, thin-walled, polygonal to circular in transverse section, with transverse to oblique endwalls in longitudinal section. Outer cortex homogeneous, with cells becoming thicker-walled and narrower towards periphery.

Etymology

Derivation of name. From κερας (kéras), the ancient greek for horn, and ϕυτòυ (phyto), plant. The generic name, Keraphyton, refers to the horn-shaped outline of the primary xylem ribs of the stem in transverse section.