Keraphyton

Name

Keraphyton

Rank

Genus

Authors (Pub.)

Champreux A. Meyer-Berthaud B. Decombeix A.-L.  

Publication

Keraphyton gen. nov., a new Late Devonian fern-like plant from Australia [2020/6]

Journal

PeerJ

Volume

8

Issue

e9321

Page number

3

Year

2020

Parent Taxon

[Order] Iridopteridales

Fossil Status

stems

Type

Keraphyton mawsoniae

Diagnosis

Stem up to 20 mm in diameter, with primary tissues only. Vascular system actinostelic, consisting of four fundamental ribs united to a central segment. Fundamental ribs branching unequally, one branch dividing into two equal ultimate ribs, the other dividing in more ultimate ribs of distally decreasing dimensions. Protoxylem strands exarch to mesarch, at tip of ultimate ribs. Metaxylem tracheids from 20 to 140 mm in diameter, the smallest ones arranged in 1-2 layers along the lateral edges of the ribs. Tracheid walls showing scalariform to multiseriate bordered pit pairs with elliptical apertures. Endodermis-like cells consisting of rectangular cells up to 200 mm high and 120 mm periclinally. Inner cortical cells up to 160 mm in diameter, thin-walled, polygonal to circular in transverse section, with transverse to oblique endwalls in longitudinal section. Outer cortex homogeneous, with cells becoming thicker-walled and narrower towards periphery.