Araucaria violetae Batista, M. E. P., Loiola, A.A.Soares, Mastroberti, A.A.Sá, Rodr.Nascim., Ferr.Silva Filho et L.Kunzmann

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002683

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2683

Authors: M. E. Peixoto Batista (as Batista, M. E. P.), M. I. B. Loiola, A. A. Soares, A. A. Mastroberti, A. A. Sá, D. R. Nascimento, W. F. Silva Filho & L. Kunzmann

Rank: species

Genus:

Reference: Batista, M. E. P., Loiola, M. I. B., Soares, A. A., Mastroberti, A. A., Sá, A. A., Nascimento, D. R., Jr., Silva Filho, W. F. & Kunzmann, L. (2021): New insights in the evolution of mucilage cells in Araucariaceae: Araucaria violetae sp. nov. from the Early Cretaceous Araripe Basin (northeast Brazil). – International Journal of Plant Sciences 183(online)(1): 43–60.

Page of description: 46

Illustrations or figures: fig. 2A, B

Types

Holotype CRT 1065, Laboratório de Paleontologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Brazil (LP/UFC)
Figures: fig. 2A

Note: Paratype: Specimen CRT 1851 (fig. 2B), kept in LP/UFC.

Original diagnosis/description

Differing from fossil-species of Araucaria by the following character combination: ultimate or penultimate branch flagelliform; scale-shaped leaves imbricate, slightly longer (<1 mm) than wide (<1 mm), with an incurved acute apex, helical phyllotaxis, arranged in three parastichies clockwise and five parastichies counterclockwise; adaxial hypodermis formed by two layers of rectangular to oval cells; mesophyll formed by palisade and spongy parenchyma, the latter consisting primarily of mucilage cells; stem xylem without distinct growth rings, composed of tracheids with oblique lines of pits or borderedpits; bordered pits alternate; resin canals in cortical region and pith; pith heterocellular with mucilage cells.

Etymology

The specific epithet recognizes Violeta Arraes, an eminent sociologist and political activist from the Araripe region whose cultural and humanitarian legacy includes the Fundação Araripe, a foundation dedicated to local environmental preservation and human development.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous, Aptian
Lower Cretaceous (likely Aptian) Crato Formation, Santana Group, Araripe Basin

Locality

Brazil
limestone mines between Santana do Cariri and Nova Olinda municipalities, Ceará State, northeastern Brazil

Plant fossil remain

macro- and meso-fossils-embryophytes except wood

Notes

Araucaria shoots with preserved mucilage cells in leaf mesophyll tissue.

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