Populus euphratica

Biology

Frond

Sporangium

Genus

Fern

Paleozoic

China

Archaeology

Inner mongolia

Permian

Botany

Geology

Paleontology

Structural basin

Mathematics

Geography

Political science

Spore

Pedicel

Stele

Devonian

Palaeoworld

Scolecopteris libera n. sp. is established on partial three-dimensionally preserved materials containing both sterile and fertile fronds collected from the volcanic tuff at the top of the Taiyuan Formation at the Wuda Coalfield, Inner Mongolia, China. It is characterized by tripinnate fronds with rachises over 200 mm in diameter; and long lanceolate or falciform pinnules with thick veins. Pinnules are of the pecopterid-type, with those at the base of the ultimate pinnae usually divided into small lobes. Eight to twelve circular synangia are arranged in two rows along the midvein. Synangia are borne on a short pedicel attached to the middle of lateral veins. A synangium is composed of 7–10 fusiform exannulate sporangia with pointed apices. The sporangia are free among each other beyond the base of synangia. In situ microspores of the Cyclogranisporites leopoldii type differ from all other in situ Paleozoic marattialean spores.

A marattialean fern, Scolecopteris libera n. sp., from the Asselian (Permian) of Inner Mongolia, China