MORE EVIDENCE FOR CONIFER DIVERSITY IN THE UPPER TRIASSIC OF NORTH CAROLINA |
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| Authors: | T Delevoryas R C Hope |
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| Institution: | Department of Botany, University of Texas, Austin, Texas, 78712
Department of Geology, Campbell University, Buies Creek, North Carolina, 27506 |
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| Abstract: | An ovulate strobilus from the Upper Triassic Deep River Basin, North Carolina, has helically arranged, loosely aggregated, elongated, spatulate bracts with axillary ovule-bearing appendages with about 8–10 ovules attached in two lateral rows, with outwardly directed micropyles. The axillary ovuliferous appendage is homologous with the voltzialean fertile dwarf shoot, but probably not directly evolved from it. More credible is a suggested origin from a completely fertile axillary appendage such as that of the Lower Permian Trichopitys. The occurrence of this cone, Metridiostrobus palissyaeoides, gen. and sp. nov., along with Compsostrobus neotericus and Voltzia andrewsii, reflects considerable diversity among conifer ovulate cones during the Upper Triassic. |
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