Permian plants from the Chutani Formation (Titicaca Group, Northern Altiplano of Bolivia): II. The morphogenus Glossopteris

Abstract

Fossil plants belonging to the morphogenera Glossopteris, Pecopteris and Asterotheca were collected from the upper part of the Chutani Formation (Titicaca Group), near the town of San Pablo de Tiquina, on the southeastern shore of Lake Titicaca (northern Altiplano, Bolivia). This paper presents the first description of specimens of the morphogenus Glossopteris from Bolivia. The Bolivian specimens of Glossopteris consist of poorly-preserved impressions, although they present the diagnostic features of this morphogenus. They are fragments of leaves with secondary veins of taeniopterid-type, typical of glossopterids from Late Permian deposits of Gondwana. The only species of Pecopteris confirmed in the first part of this study, i.e. P. dolianitii Rösler and Rohn (see Vieira et al. 2004), was previously reported from the Late Permian beds of the Rio do Rasto and Estrada Nova formations in the Paraná Basin (southern Brazil). Therefore, a Late Permian age is proposed for the fossil plant-bearing beds of the Chutani Formation based on the analyzed assemblage. The phytogeographic implications of this new find are briefly analyzed.

The palynology of the Lower Permian (Asselian–?Artinskian) Copacabana Formation of Apillapampa, Cochabamba, Bolivia

“…Lower vascular plants, especially lycophytes and pteridophytes, together with algae and some gymnospermous groups became the dominant groups in the Coal Member. These groups of plants confirm the widespread distribution of the Glossopteris flora during the Permian in Gondwana (Iannuzzi et al 2004).…”

A paleoclimatic review of southern South America during the late Paleozoic: A record from icehouse to extreme greenhouse conditions

“…Fossil plants belonging to the morphogenera Glossopteris, Pecopteris and Asterotheca were collected from the upper part of the Chutani Formation (Iannuzzi et al, 2004;Vieira et al, 2004). The presence of Pecopteris dolianitii Rösler and Rohn, also reported from the late Permian beds of the Rio do Rasto and Estrada Nova formations in the Paraná Basin, suggests a late Permian age for the fossil plant-bearing beds in the Chutani Formation.…”

Permian plants from the Chutani Formation (Titicaca Group, Northern Altiplano of Bolivia): I. Genera Pecopteris and Asterotheca

“…The fossil site is located approximately 80 m up-hill from the town's cemetery. The leaves of Glossopteris were described by Iannuzzi et al (2004) and form the second part of this study. The fronds of Pecopteris and Asterotheca were found as impressions and authigenic replicas (i.e., external moulds/ casts) on brownish yellow, hard, compact, silty dolostone.…”