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Rhipidophyton acanthum
Rhipidophyton acanthum C.M. Berry, Y. Wang Rev. Palaeobot. Palynol., 142(3-4): 65. Dec 2006
- Name
- Rhipidophyton acanthum
- Rank
- Species
- Generic Name
- [Genus] Rhipidophyton
- Authors (Pub.)
- Berry C. M.
Wang Y.
- Publication
- A new plant attributed to Cladoxylopsida from the Middle Devonian of Yunnan Province, China [2006/12]
- Journal
- Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
- Volume
- 142
- Issue
- 3-4
- Page number
- 65
- Year
- 2006
- Fossil Status
- stems (with sporangia)
- Stratigraphy
- Givetian
- Strat. comment
- Xichong Formation
- Location
- Slope at back of field 6mnorth of the road, 250 m from main road junction in Xichong village, on road runningNW, near Qujing, Yunnan Province, China
- Paleoregion
- China (South)
Data for Holotypus
- Repository
- Nanjing Institute of Geology and Palaeontology, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Nanjing, China
- Repository Number
- PB20372
- Diagnosis
- Stems up to 90 mm wide, bearing upturned U-shaped branch bases on impressions in approximately helical insertion pattern. Sterile branches attached to wider stems, decurrent at base, up to 15 mm wide basally, narrowing to 8–9 mm away from stem and then widening towards first branching point; first branching point up to at least 180 mm from stem, proximally with 2–3 close dichotomies (digitate); distal parts of sterile branching system with up to at least 6 further widely spaced dichotomies, successive dichotomies in perpendicular planes; short sterile tips recurved following final dichotomy. Fertile branches in fertile zones on narrower parts of stem, 4–5 mm wide, naked for proximal 30–40 mm, fertile appendages attached distally; fertile appendages consist of a central axis, 0.6–1.0 mm diameter, inserted at approximately 90°, curving adaxially, bearing a closely inserted pair of adaxial sporangia proximally, widening and flattening distally, with two pairs of sporangia inserted in a fan shaped on either side of medial dissection, plane of flattening tangential to axis, total length of fertile appendage 10–14 mm; sporangia elongate-elliptical in face view with a blunt point at tip, 2.3–3.5 mm in length, 1.5–1.8 wide, dorsoventrally flattened, inserted without discernable stalk. All branches and fertile appendages bearing narrow spines up to 5 mm length and 0.1–0.2 mm width.
