Bognerospadix speirsiae Stockey, G.L.Hoffman et Rothwell

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002113

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2113

Authors: R. A. Stockey, G. L. Hoffman & G. W. Rothwell

Rank: species

Genus: Bognerospadix Stockey, G.L.Hoffman et Rothwell

Reference: Stockey, R. A., Hoffman, G. L. & Rothwell, G. W. (2021): Fossil evidence for Paleocene diversification of Araceae: Bognerospadix gen. nov. and Orontiophyllum grandifolium comb. nov. – American Journal of Botany 108(8): 1417–1440.

Page of description: 1421

Illustrations or figures: figs 4, 5A–H, J, L, 6A, B

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Spadix more than 4 cm long, ~1 cm wide; 4–5 rows of flowers in surface view. Flowers/fruits 2.0–2.2 mm wide, 3.4–3.8 mm long. Seeds slightly curved, tapering toward micropyle; ~0.9–1.2 mm long by 0.6 mm wide, with integument 70–120 µm thick, of several layers of isodiametric sclereids; verrucose externally.

Etymology

The species is named in honor of the late Alice Elizabeth (Betty) Speirs of Red Deer, Alberta, Canada, who collected most of the specimens studied in this investigation, and many thousands of additional specimens from localities in the Red Deer area. Her generous donations of fossils to Alberta repositories and openness in sharing data are greatly appreciated by all who knew her.

Stratigraphy

Paleogene, Paleocene
Paskapoo Formation

Locality

Canada
exposures along both banks of the Blindman River and the northwest bank of the Red Deer River in the area around their confluence southeast of the town of Blackfalds in south-central Alberta, Canada (52°21′18″N, 113°45′00″W)