Keraphyton mawsoniae Champr., Mey.-Berth. et Decombeix

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN003720

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:3720

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

Rank: species

Genus: Keraphyton Champr., Mey.-Berth. et Decombeix

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).

Page of description: 4

Illustrations or figures: Figs 1–4

Types

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 4/2 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

In honor of Prof. Ruth Mawson, distinguished Australian palaeontologist who was interested in all aspects of fossil life and was a delightful leader of
palaeobotany-palaeontology field trips to Devonian localities of north-eastern Australia.

Stratigraphy

Devonian, Upper Devonian, Famennian
Mandowa Mudstone Formation, Parry Group, Tamworth Belt. Famennian, Upper Devonian.

Locality

Australia
Barraba, New England, New South Wales, Australia; left bank of the Manilla River, upstream from the Connors Creek crossing.