Proencistemon E.M.Friis, P.R.Crane, K.R.Pedersen, M.M.Mendes et J.Kvaček

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN002788

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:2788

Authors: E. M. Friis, P. R. Crane, K. R. Pedersen, M. M. Mendes & J. Kvaček

Rank: genus

Reference: Friis, E. M., Crane, P. R., Pedersen, K. R., Mendes, M. M. & Kvaček, J. (2022): The Early Cretaceous mesofossil flora of Catefica, Portugal: angiosperms. – Fossil Imprint 78(2): 341–424.

Page of description: 353

Type

Original diagnosis/description

Staminate inflorescences spherical with closely packed, unisexual flowers radiating from the central axis. Each flower delimited by a bract subtending one or two stamens. Anthers sessile, or almost sessile, narrowly elongate, dithecate and tetrasporangiate, lacking a well-developed filament but with a short flattened apical connective. Anther dehiscence lateral by longitudinal slits. Pollen small, trichotomocolpate, circular in outline, semitectate-reticulate, columellate, with long, scattered columellae and a homobrochate reticulum. Muri with a rounded profile and supratectal ornamentation composed of minute verrucae aligned in two to three longitudinal rows that create poorly defined transverse ridges over the muri. Aperture margin indistinct. Aperture membrane irregularly verrucate. Orbicules spherical with fine verrucate-spiny ornamentation.

Etymology

In honor of Pedro Proença e Cunha for his contributions to understanding the stratigraphy and geology of the Early Cretaceous of Portugal and stemon (Greek for stamen).