Rhodospathodendron tomlinsonii Bonde

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002127

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2127

Author: S. D. Bonde

Rank: species

Genus: Rhodospathodendron Bonde

Reference: Bonde, S. D. (2000): Rhodospathodendron tomlinsonii gen. et sp. nov., an araceous viny axis from the Nawargaon intertrappean beds of India. – The Palaeobotanist 49(1): 85–92., link

Page of description: 90

Illustrations or figures: pI. 1, figs A, 1-6; pI. 2, figs 1-6

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Stem – thin, viny; nodes and internodes indistinct, leaf and root arrangement spiral.
Periderm – thin, 62–125 μm.
Cortex – broad, 1.9–2.5 mm in 3–6 series; Vascular bundles variable in size; small bundles 36 × 36 – 126 × 172 μm. large bundles 234 × 234 – 306 × 270 μm; bundle sheath single layered; vascular elements reduced.
Vessels – small, angular, 6.8 × 6.8 – 13.6 × 10.2 μm. phloem band elongated. Brachysclereids abundant.
Vascular region – wide; vascular bundles amphivasal, collateral and compound; compact arrangement at the periphery. Compound bundles variable in size and shape, uniformly distributed.
Vessels – many, large, angular, 63 × 55 – 71 × 34 μm.

Emended diagnosis

Description on p. 86 in Bonde (2000: Palaeobotanist 49(1): 85–92):

The present genus and species is based on a permineralized thin axis. It is entire, round, 8.5 cm long and 1.5 cm in diameter. Externally is shows a number of scars of detached roots and part of a leaf sheath (Pl. 1A). Internally the axis exhibits three distinct regions: periderm, cortex and vascular region. Number of endogenous root traces are also present in the cortical region. Leaf sheaths attached to the axis are also present (Pl. 1, 1-2).

Etymology

The present fossil form has been named as Rhodospathodendron tomlinsonii gen. et sp. nov. in honour of Dr ParI Barry Tomlinson, who is known for his work on the anatomy of monocotyledons.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous, Maastrichtian
late Maastrichtian, Deccan intertrappean beds

Locality

India
Nawargaon (21° 0' N, 78° 35' E), Wardha District, Maharashtra