Scolecopteris libera D.D.Li bis, Jun Wang bis, S.Wan, Pšenička, W.M.Zhou, Bek et Frojdová

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN000855

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:855

Authors: D. D. Li, J. Wang, S. Wan, J. Pšenička, W. M. Zhou, J. Bek & J. Frojdová

Rank: species

Reference: Li, D. D., Wang, J., Wan, S., Pšenička, J., Zhou, W. M., Bek, J. & Votočková-Frojdová, J. (2019): A marattialean fern, Scolecopteris libera n. sp., from the Asselian (Permian)of Inner Mongolia, China. – Palaeoworld 28: 487–507.

Page of description: 488

Illustrations or figures: figs 2–13

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Fronds tripinnate. Ultimate fertile pinnae with 10–13 pairs of reproductive pinnules. Pinnules 3.2–4.2 mm long, 2.0 mm wide. Each pinnules with 8–12 synangia, arranged in two rows along the midveins, attached to the middle of the lateral veins with a pedicel. Synangia ca. 1 mm in diameter, 0.7–0.9 mm long, composed of 7–10 sporangia. Sporangia attached to a common pedicel but otherwise free from eachother, exannulate, fusiform with long tips. Trilete microspores circular to oval, 10–20 μm in diameter. Densely microgranulate to microverrucate sculpture on spore exine. Sterile pinnulesof the pecopterid-type, falciform with distinct veins, midveins decurrent, lateral veins bifurcate twice or thrice. Rachises of the Stewartiopteris-type.

Etymology

The specific name “libera” means free, referring to the fact that the sporangia of a synangium are mostly free from each other, rather than fused laterally as many other species of this genus.

Stratigraphy

Permian, Cisuralian, Asselian
The uppermost Taiyuan Formation, lowermost Asselian

Locality

China
39°32′25″N, 106°38′03″E, Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia