Sphenopteris

Sphenopteris
Temporal range: Late Devonian–Cretaceous[1]
Fossilized fern-like leaf strucutre
S. schumannii specimen on display at Musée d'Histoire Naturelle de Lille
Scientific classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Division: Tracheophyta
Class: Pteridophyta
Order: Botryopteridales
Family: Urnatopteridaceae
Genus: Sphenopteris
Species
  • S. alata †
  • S. fragilis †
  • S. obtusiloba †
  • S. plicata †
  • S. spiniformis †
  • S. trifoliata †

Sphenopteris is a genus containing the foliage of various extinct plants. These include ferns, but mostly seed-producing plants such as Lyginopteris.[1][2]

Biology

The frond of Sphenopteris could be up to 20 inches (51 cm) long.[1]

Location

In Brazil, fossil of form genus Sphenopteris was located in outcrop Morro Papalé in the city of Mariana Pimentel. They are in the geopark Paleorrota in Rio Bonito Formation and date from Sakmarian in Permian.[3]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Palmer, Douglas; et al. (2009). Prehistoric Life: The Definitive Visual History of Life on Earth (1st American ed.). New York: Dorling Kindersley. p. 149. ISBN 978-0-7566-5573-0.
  2. ↑ Manuscript entitled, Fossil Flora and Fauna of the Pennsylvanian Period, Will County, Illinois
  3. ↑ Afloramento Morro do Papaléo, Mariana Pimentel, RS