Wireroadia viccallii Xiao Q.Zhang, Y.D.Wang, Dilcher et Manchester

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN000790

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:790

Authors: X. Zhang, Y. Wang, D. L. Dilcher & S. R. Manchester

Rank: species

Genus: Wireroadia Xiao Q.Zhang, Y.D.Wang, Dilcher et Manchester

Reference: Zhang, X., Wang, Y., Dilcher, D. L. & Manchester, S. R. (2020): Wireroadia, A new genus of winged fruit from the Cretaceous of Alabama and New England, USA. – International Journal of Plant Sciences 181(9): 898–910.

Page of description: 902

Illustrations or figures: figs 1, 2

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Fruit with three wings arising independently from near the base of a globose, longitudinally ribbed body borne on a stout pedicel. Wings free from each other, the middle one smallest, 0.4–2 cm long and 0.2–0.6 cm wide, the two lateral wings larger, 1.2–2.8 cm long and 0.4–0.8 cm wide; wings usually diverging from each other at less than 20°, wing venation subparallel, diverging from the base, with veins dichotomizing and anastomosing, ultimately ending in the margins. A pair of prominent branched spiny appendages (fig. 1A, D, F–J) arising laterally from the base between fruit body and wings (fig. 1N, O). Below the three wings, are four or more smaller bract-like appendages (fig. 1A, E, G, K), 3 mm long, 1.5 mm wide. Fruit body globose, 0.5–1 mm diameter with one style (fig. 1J, L, M, O) protruding from the apex and 10–15 longitudinal ribs (fig. 1M) extending from fruit base to the base of the style. Cuticle of adaxial and abaxial surfaces of the wings thin. Epidermal cells irregularly polygonal with straight anticlinal walls. Stomata mostly confined to the lower surface, paracytic with each pair of guard cells 11–14 μm long, 3–4 μm wide (fig. 2E, F), completely surrounded by two subsidiary cells with their long axes parallel to the long axes of guard cells. One or two rings of smaller epidermal cells (10–15 μm long, 6–15 μm wide) surround some of the paracytic stomata, 6–13 cells for each ring (fig. 2C, D). Subsidiary cells larger (20–35 μm long, 10–12 μm wide) than normal epidermal cells. Multiple trichome bases 10 μm diameter, on both upper and lower epidermal surfaces.

Etymology

This species is named after Victor Call, who made initial studies of this species from the Wire Road site.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous, Cenomanian
Tuscaloosa Formation

Locality

United States
Wire Road, Lee County, Alabama