Mosacaulis spinifer gen. et sp. nov.: An enigmatic Maastrichtian plant |
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Authors: | Raymond W.J.M. van der Ham Johanna H.A. van Konijnenburg-van Cittert Ben N. Kieft Anita Walsmit Sachs |
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Affiliation: | aNetherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis (section NHN), Leiden University, P.O. Box 9514, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;bNetherlands Centre for Biodiversity Naturalis, P.O. Box 9517, 2300 RA Leiden, The Netherlands;cLaboratory for Palaeobotany and Palynology, Budapestlaan 4, 3584 CD Utrecht, The Netherlands |
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Abstract: | Dichotomously branched stem fragments with crowded, spirally arranged, trifurcate leaf base remains from the type area of the Maastrichtian (Late Cretaceous; SE Netherlands, NE Belgium) are described as a new genus and species: Mosacaulis spinifer Van der Ham et Van Konijnenburg-van Cittert. They are interpreted as fossils of (pseudo)herbaceous axes with densely spaced, semi-amplexicaul leaves arranged in low spirals, with reproductive structures (sporangia?, prophylls associated with flowering axes?) attached to the adaxial sides of the leaf bases. M. spinifer is considered to be of unknown affinity (incertae sedis), showing resemblances with such disparate lineages as lycopsids and angiosperms. Its seagrass-like habit, gregarious occurrence, the association with genuine seagrass and a diverse marine fauna (including epibionts on the stems), and the absence of any terrigenous material, remains of land plants and terrestrial palynomorphs suggest that M. spinifer grew in a fully marine environment. |
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Keywords: | Late Cretaceous Maastrichtian type area lycopsid angiosperm seagrass |
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