Kowieria

Name

Kowieria

Rank

Genus

Authors (Pub.)

Gess R. W. Prestianni C.  

Publication

Kowieria alveoformis gen. nov. sp. nov., a new heterosporous lycophyte from the Latest Devonian of Southern Africa [2017/11]

Journal

Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology

Volume

249

Page number

2

Year

2017

Parent Taxon

[Phylum] Lycopodiophyta

Fossil Status

leafy stems (with reproductive organs)

Type

Kowieria alveoformis

Diagnosis

Lycopodiaceous plant, only known from terminal axes. Vegetative axes with spirally arranged microphylls. Microphyll pedicels forming an angle of 30°–35° with the axis. Microphylls falciform and markedly curved abaxially, between 13–19 mm long and 0.3–0.6 mm wide. Bisporangiate strobilus terminal. Micro- and megasporophylls arranged spirally, form an angle ranging between 60° and 90° with the axis, are up to 20 mm long. Width regular ranging from 0.7 to 1.2 mm. One adaxial sporangium borne at base of the sporophyll. Sporangia smooth, between 3.0–4.5 mm long and 1.7–2 mm wide. Megasporangium located proximally within cone, microsporangia located distally. Up to four megaspores per megasporangia. Megaspores hologulate and heavily ornamented, main body between 580 and 720 μm in diameter, gula approximately 200 μm high, ornaments are 150– 200 μm long spines.