Aarabia Mey.-Berth. et Gerrienne

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN000868

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:868

Authors: B. Meyer-Berthaud & P. Gerrienne

Rank: genus

Reference for this name: Meyer-Berthaud, B. & Gerrienne, P. (2001): Aarabia, a new Early Devonian vascular plant from Africa (Morocco). – Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 116(1–2): 39–53.

Page of description: 43

Original diagnosis/description

Aerial systems of naked axes mostly derived from pseudomonopodial branching; at least four orders of axes. Difference in diameter of axes of successive orders not conspicuous. Main stem almost straight, bearing laterals in distichous, planar arrangement; this pattern reproduced in all orders of elongated laterals in the preserved parts of the plant. Long laterals comprising short internodes proximally, long internodes distally. Short laterals borne principally at base of all orders of long branches; some arranged unevenly on main axis. Short laterals comprising a foreshortened axis dichotomising into two terminal segments recurved abaxially and adaxi-ally towards the axis of previous order; further elongation or additional division possible in some segments. Fertile appendages consisting of foreshortened lateral branch systems bearing sporangia in clusters, presumably at their distal extremity. Individual sporangium sessile, borne singly, and probably pendulous. Sporangia oblong, either straight or arched, with a blunt or slightly acuminate distal extremity.

Etymology

Aarabia referes to the locality close to Jabel ben Aarab.