Gastonispermum antiquum E.M.Friis, P.R.Crane et K.R.Pedersen

Plant Fossil Names Registry Number: PFN000453

Act LSID: urn:lsid:plantfossilnames.org:act:453

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

Rank: species

Genus: Gastonispermum E.M.Friis, P.R.Crane et K.R.Pedersen

Reference: Friis, E. M., Crane, P. R. & Pedersen, K. R. (2019): The Early Cretaceous mesofossil flora of Torres Vedras (NE of Forte da Forca), Portugal: a palaeofloristic analysis of an early angiosperm community. – Fossil Imprint 75(2): 153–257.

Page of description: 175

Illustrations or figures: Text-fig. 14a–e

Types

Original diagnosis/description

Isolated seeds occurring singly. Seeds small, anatropous, bitegmic and exotestal. Seed surface smooth without longitudinal ridges. Course of raphe seen as a slightly raised rounded ridge. Hilum and micropyle separated by a narrow zone of sclerenchyma. Hilar scar small, slightly raised without a hilar rim. Micropyle formed by the inner integument (tegmen) and marked on the seed surface by a Y-shaped slit through the outer integument (testa) adjacent to the hilar scar. Exotesta of palisade-shaped sclerenchyma cells; mesotesta/endotesta of thin-walled parenchyma cells. Palisade-shaped cells of exotesta with evenly thickened anticlinal walls and a straight lumen. Anticlinal walls of palisade-shaped sclerenchyma strongly undulate toward the inside and toward the outside, resulting in stellate-undulate facets and a jigsaw puzzle-like bpattern on the seed surface. Tegmen thin.

Etymology

From Latin: antiquus referring to the great age of these seeds.

Stratigraphy

Cretaceous, Lower Cretaceous
Lower member of the Almargem Formation; Early Cretaceous (late Barremian-early Aptian)

Locality

Portugal
Torres Vedras (NE of Forte de Forca; 39°06′13″ N, 9°14′47″ W)