Stutzeliastrobus Bohemicus Comb. Nov. – Basal Cupressaceae Conife from the Cenomanian of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin, Central Europe

Abstract The Cupressaceae conifer Stutzeliastrobus bohemicus (Bayer) J.Kvaček comb. nov. is described from the Cenomanian Peruc-Korycany Formation of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin. It is characterised by elongate ovuliferous cones with helically arranged thin, bilaterally symmetrical ovuliferous bract-scale complexes, bearing two to four winged elongate ovoid seeds per bract-scale complex. Ovuliferous cones are found attached to twigs of Cyparissidium-type shoots, showing amphistomatic scale-like leaves with an adaxial cuticle, bearing two stomatal bands with transversely or obliquely orientated monocyclic to amphicyclic stomata. The abaxial cuticle shows monocyclic to amphicyclic stomata scattered irregularly in the basal part of the leaf. The lectotype is compressed, but the 3D preserved lignified specimen, studied using X-ray microtomography, revealed its internal structure. It is compared to Stutzeliastrobus foliatus F.Herrera et al. from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia, differing in morphology of its bract-scale complexes. The thin ovuliferous cone scales complexes of S. bohemicus bearing two to four winged seeds per cone scale argue for its relationship with Taiwanioideae, the basal subfamily of Cupressaceae.

[1]  Daniel Vavrik,et al.  Large area pixel detector WIDEPIX with full area sensitivity composed of 100 Timepix assemblies with edgeless sensors , 2014 .

[2]  M. Gandolfo,et al.  A new species of Athrotaxites (Athrotaxoideae, cupressaceae) from the upper cretaceous raritan formation, New Jersey, USA , 2016 .

[3]  O. Heer.  Die Kreide-flora der arctischen Zone, gegründet auf die von den Schwedischen Expeditionen von 1870 und 1872 in Grönland und Spitzbergen gesammelten Pflanzen , 1874 .

[4]  G. Rothwell,et al.  Hughmillerites vancouverensis sp. nov. and the Cretaceous diversification of Cupressaceae. , 2014, American-Eurasian journal of botany.

[5]  G. Rothwell,et al.  Hubbardiastrobus cunninghamioides gen. et sp. nov., Evidence for a Lower Cretaceous Diversification of Cunninghamioid Cupressaceae , 2014, International Journal of Plant Sciences.

[6]  T. Ohsawa,et al.  Structure and affinities of the petrified plants from the cretaceous of Northern Japan and Saghalien XIIIYubaristrobus gen. nov., A new Taxodiaceous cone from the upper cretaceous of Hokkaido , 1992, Journal of Plant Research.

[7]  J. Kvaček,et al.  Konijnenburgia, a new genus of the fern family Matoniaceae , 2010 .

[8]  J. Kvaček.  Cycadales and Bennettitales leaf compressions of the Bohemian Cenomanian, Central Europe , 1995 .

[9]  T. Stützel,et al.  Evolution of taxodiaceous Cupressaceae (Coniferopsida) , 2007 .

[10]  Jiøí Kvaèek.  TWO CONIFERS (TAXODIACEAE) OF THE BOHEMIAN CENOMANIAN (CZECH REPUBLIC, CENTRAL EUROPE) , 2017 .

[11]  T. M. Harris.  The Fossil Conifer Elatides williamsoni , 1943 .

[12]  P. Herendeen,et al.  Cupressaceae Conifers from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia , 2017, International Journal of Plant Sciences.

[13]  J. V. K. Cittert,et al.  The flora from the Kimmeridgian (Upper Jurassic) of Culgower, Sutherland, Scotland , 1989 .

[14]  J. Kvaček.  Cunninghamites johannae, a new cupressoid conifer from the Cenomanian of the Czech Republic and its palaeoecological implications , 2014, Palaeobiodiversity and Palaeoenvironments.

[15]  W. Millington,et al.  The Yorkshire Jurassic flora , 1974 .

[16]  A. Farjon.  A monograph of Cupressaceae and Sciadopitys , 2000 .

[17]  Christopher J. Quinn,et al.  Relationships within Cupressaceae sensu lato: a combined morphological and molecular approach. , 2000, American journal of botany.

[18]  I. Escapa,et al.  A new genus of the Cupressaceae (sensu lato) from the Jurassic of Patagonia: Implications for conifer megasporangiate cone homologies , 2008 .

[19]  J. Hilton,et al.  Structure and relationships of the Jurassic conifer seed cone Hughmillerites juddii gen. et comb. nov.: Implications for the origin and evolution of Cupressaceae , 2011 .

[20]  R. Bateman,et al.  Middle Jurassic evidence for the origin of Cupressaceae: A paleobotanical context for the roles of regulatory genetics and development in the evolution of conifer seed cones. , 2015, American journal of botany.

[21]  S. Čech.  PalAeogeography and Stratigraphy of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (Czech Republic) – An Overview , 2011 .

[22]  A. D’Rozario,et al.  A new species of the extinct genus Austrohamia (Cupressaceae s.l.) in the Daohugou Jurassic flora of China and its phytogeographical implications , 2012 .

[23]  P. Herendeen,et al.  Whole-Plant Reconstruction and Phylogenetic Relationships of Elatides zhoui sp. nov. (Cupressaceae) from the Early Cretaceous of Mongolia , 2014, International Journal of Plant Sciences.

[24]  B. LePage.  Earliest Occurrence of Taiwania (Cupressaceae) from the Early Cretaceous of Alaska: Evolution, Biogeography, and Paleoecology , 2009 .

[25]  Tatsuaki Kimura,et al.  989 Further observations of Cunninghamiostrobus yubariensis Stopes and Fujii from the Upper Yezo Group (Upper Cretaceous), Hokkaido, Japan , 1995 .

[26]  A. Farjon,et al.  Cone and ovule development in Cunninghamia and Taiwania (Cupressaceae sensu lato) and its significance for conifer evolution. , 2003, American journal of botany.