Watsoniocladus crassirameus (Zheng Y.Cao) J.Kvaček et M.M.Mendes

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002528

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2528

Authors: J. Kvaček & M. M. Mendes

Rank: species

Basionym: Cupressinocladus crassirameus Zheng Y.Cao

Genus: Watsoniocladus V.Sriniv.

Reference: Kvaček, J. & Mendes, M. M. (2021): New Cheirolepidiaceae conifer Watsoniocladus cunhae sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous (late Aptian–early Albian) of western Portugal. 295: 104519 (11 pp.).

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Specimens are represented by two fragments of shoot. Shoot rather broad, attaining a breadth of about 3 mm and bearing opposite-decussate leaves. Free part of leaf short, lingulate in shape, about 3mm long and about 4 mm wide, forming a wide angle with axis; substance of leaf thick. Decurrent base very long, separated by a distinct suture; some fine longitudinal ridges present· on the outer surface of leaf and decurrent base.
Cuticle thick, but very fragile; stomata on abaxial cuticle circular, about 75 μm in diameter, occurring in longitudinal rows, uniseriate or imperfectly biseriate (?); stomatal rows separated by the rectangular epidermal cells arranged in longitudinal rows. Epidermal cells non-papillate, thick-walled, polygonal or transversely broad. Subsidiary cells six in number, flatly thickened and forming a round ring surrounding the stomatal pit; anticlinal walls much thinner than those of the epidermal cells.
There is a closely resemblance between this species and Cupressinocladus valdensis (Seward, 1895, 1911; Wetson, 1977) from Wealden of England in appearance. But the former is distinguished by the broader shoot and larger, lingulate free part of leaf from the latter, in which the shoot is slender, the free part is very short, adpressed and triangular in shape, the decurrent base is longer, and, in addition, the epidermal cells are squarish or rectangular, tending to be in longitudinal rows rather than polygonal or transversely broad as in the former.
In the form of epidermal cells, this species approaches to Cupressinocladus itieri (Barale, 1981) from Upper Jurassic of France; however, both are completely different in external appearance.

Etymology

PFNR administrator note: Not specified – probably from Latin crassus – thick, ramus – branch.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous
Laocun Formation

Locality

China
Laocun, Jiande County, Zhejiang Province