Melvillipteris quadriseriata

Name

Melvillipteris quadriseriata

Rank

Species

Generic Name

[Genus] Melvillipteris

Authors (Pub.)

Xue J.-Z. Basinger J. F.  

Publication

Melvillipteris quadriseriata gen. et sp. nov., a new plant assigned to Rhacophytales from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) of Arctic Canada [2016/6]

Journal

Geological Magazine

Volume

153

Issue

4

Page number

3

Year

2016

Fossil Status

stems (with sporangia)

Stratigraphy

Famennian

Strat. comment

Burnett Point Member of the Parry Islands Formation

Location

West bank of Baldwin River of eastern Melville Island, Canadian Arctic Archipelago, Canada

Paleoregion

Laurussia (Laurentia)

Data for Holotypus

Repository

University of Saskatchewan, Geological Museum, Paleobotanical Collection, Saskatoon, Canada

Repository Number

US734-9156a

Num

3e

Pub.

Melvillipteris quadriseriata gen. et sp. nov., a new plant assigned to Rhacophytales from the Upper Devonian (Famennian) of Arctic Canada [2016/6]

Diagnosis

Main axes 3–6 mm wide and at least 160 mm long, with internode length 20–60 mm. First-order branches 0.9–2.5 mm wide and up to at least 125 mm long. Second-order branches about 0.7 mm wide and up to at least 68 mm long, borne alternately with internode length 12–22 mm. Sterile ultimate appendages inserted at right angles on axes; those on first-order branches restricted to proximal region, 7–11 mm long; those on second-order branches 4–5.3 mm long. Fertile appendages with axes 0.3–0.7 mm wide at base and extending 1.7–4.0 mm to point of initial dichotomy to form two sister branches; each branch recurved distally, dividing dichotomously three or four times to support at least 12 sporangia, and with an overall length of 1.8–4.2 mm; penultimate divisions of fertile appendages each bearing two to four small fusiform sporangia that are grouped into a truss. Sporangia 1.0–1.4 mm long and 0.3–0.5 mm wide.