Lepidostrobus willardii Pšenička, Bek et W.J.Nelson

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN003471

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:3471

Authors: J. Pšenička, J. Bek & W. J. Nelson

Rank: species

Reference for this name: Pšenička, J., Bek, J. & Nelson, W. J. (2024): Lepidostrobus willardii sp. nov. and its spores from the Lower Pennsylvanian of the Illinois Basin, USA. – Bulletin of Geosciences 99(3): 203–2018.

Page of description: 205

Illustrations or figures: Fig. 4

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Cone more than 135 mm long and 26 mm wide. Cone central axis ~ 5 mm wide. Sporophyll appendages have small heel, ~ 2 mm wide, up to 7–9 mm
long. Distal laminae fully adpressed to the cone body. Sporophyll pedicel ~ 6 mm long, with pedicel base ~ 3 mm long and 0.6 mm wide. Ellipsoid circles, sometimes grouped, preserved on cuticle above distal lamina midrib. Sporangia 4–5 mm long, 2 mm high. Trilete subtriangular to subcircular microspores, 25–37 μm, rays of trilete mark reach spore margin. Proximal and distal surface sculpture microgranulate, granulate, microverrucate, verrucate, and rugulate. Proximal surface of zona laevigate, rarely perforated, distal surface of the cingulum and zona sculptured. Cingulum 2 (3.2) 5 μm wide and zona 2 (3.1) 4 μm wide.

Etymology

In honor of D.A. Willard, famous palynologist and palaeobotanist (US Geological Survey, Reston, Virginia) who contributed to our knowledge of Lepidostrobus cones from the Illinois Basin.

Stratigraphy

Carboniferous, Pennsylvanian
Basal Tradewater Formation

Locality

United States
Directly beneath the Reynoldsburg Coal, Illinois Basin.