Spinopinnophyllum acanthorachis San.Kumar, Su, R.A.Spicer et Mahasin Khan

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN003226

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:3226

Authors: S. Kumar, T. Su, R. A. Spicer & M. A. Khan

Rank: species

Genus: Spinopinnophyllum Sanchita, Su, R.A.Spicer et Mahasin Khan in Kumar, Su, Spicer & Khan

Reference: Kumar, S., Su, T., Spicer, R. A. & Khan, M. A. (2024): The earliest fossil evidence of spiny feather (pinnate-leaved) palms from the K-Pg of Gondwana. – Palaeontologia Electronica 27(1): 18.

Page of description: 8

Illustrations or figures: figs 3, 4

Name is type for

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Leaf pinnately compound, leaflets attached to stout rachis; prominent pointed spines (Figure 3) or scars of the base of spines (Figure 4A) present on the rachis; preserved leaflets narrow emerging straight from one side of the rachis at an acute angle (Figure 3, Figure 4); thick and prominent midvein in each leaflet; mid-vein paralleled by prominent secondary lateral veins, oblique and transverse cross veins also present on both sides of the secondary lateral vein.

Etymology

The specific epithet “acanthorachis” is used to symbolize the presence of spines on the rachis of palm leaves.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Upper Cretaceous, Maastrichtian
Deccan Intertrappean beds; latest Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous)-earliest Danian (Early Paleocene), Chron 29R.

Locality

India
Umaria Ryt. village (N 22°46′26”, E 80°32′19”, 490 m a.s.l.) in Dindori district, Madhya Pradesh, central India.