Escapia christensenioides Rothwell, Millay et Stockey

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN001044

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:1044

Authors: G. W. Rothwell, M. A. Millay & R. A. Stockey

Rank: species

Genus: Escapia Rothwell, Millay et Stockey

Reference: Rothwell, G. W., Millay, M. A. & Stockey, R. A. (2018): Escapia gen. nov.: morphological evolution, paleogeographic diversification, and the environmental distribution of marattialean ferns through time. in Krings, M., Harper, C. L., Cuneo, N. R., Rothwell, G. W. (eds): Transformative paleobotany. Papers to commemorate the life and legacy of Thomas N. Taylor. Elsevier: 271–360.

Page of description: 272

Illustrations or figures: figs 14.1–22

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Pinnules are thin, with veins dichotomizing with helical and scalariform tracheids; transfusion tissue is between vein and sessile synangium. Synangia are round to oval in cross section, 0.9–1.0 × 0.9–1.8 mm in diameter ~1.0 mm long. Synangia of seven to 12 sporangia are laterally attached except in the apical third; outer-facing sporangial wall is five or six cells thick, with some cells having frothy brown contents. Spores are reniform to ovoid, 16–23 × 13–15 μm; exine baculate with loose perispore; ornamentation units are 1.0 μm long and 0.5 μm wide.

Etymology

The specific epithet christensenioides refers to the similarity of the synangia to those of extant Christensenia Maxon sensu Rolleri (2003).

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, Valanginian
Longarm Formation equivalent

Locality

Canada
Coastal exposures in Quatsino Sound at Apple Bay on Vancouver Island, British Columbia, Canada (50°36'21'' N; 127°39'25'' W; UTM 9U WG 951068)