Pertica, a New Genus of Devonian Plants from Northern Maine

Kasper, Andrew E.; Andrews, Henry N.

doi:10.2307/2441116

Cited by 34 publications

(11 citation statements)

References 4 publications

(4 reference statements)

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“…There is no evidence in any of the Trout Valley Formation plant assemblages for rhizomes attached or associated with any aerial axes in the present or in previously reported studies (Andrews et al, 1968;Gensel et al, 1969;Kasper and Andrews, 1972;Kasper et al, 1974;Kasper and Forbes, 1979). Therefore, there are two ways to account for this observation.…”

Section: Taphonomic and Paleoecologic Implicationscontrasting

confidence: 55%

“…From the extensive investigation of plant morphology and anatomy (Andrews et al, 1968;Gensel et al, 1969;Kasper and Andrews, 1972;Kasper et al, 1974;Kasper and Forbes, 1979;and Kasper et al, 1988), Andrews et al (1977) interpreted the Trout Valley plant assemblages as having been preserved in a terrestrial brackish or freshwater marsh setting surrounded by modest elevation. Using the dense, parallel-aligned assemblages of Psilophyton in the bioturbated interbedded sandstone and siltstone (Facies 6, this study), the dominance of a single taxon in many collection sites with relatively few accessory taxa, isolated pockets of single taxa, the high preservational quality of plant remains, and modern (marsh) analogues, Andrews et al (1977) concluded that these Early to Middle Devonian assemblages represented monotypic, low-diversity wetland communities.…”

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Previous to the present work, studies focused on the morphology and anatomy of the fossil plants recovered from these rocks (Andrews et al, 1968;Gensel et al, 1969;Kasper and Andrews, 1972;Kasper et al, 1974;Andrews et al, 1977;Kasper and Forbes, 1979;and Kasper et al, 1988). Two new genera and six new species of early vascular and nonvascular land plants were identifi ed.…”

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Sedimentology and taphonomy of the Early to Middle Devonian plant-bearing beds of the Trout Valley Formation, Maine

Allen¹,

Gastaldo²

2006

Wetlands Through Time

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The Trout Valley Formation of Emsian-Eifelian age in Baxter State Park, Maine, consists of fl uvial and coastal deposits that preserve early land plants (embryophytes). Seven facies are recognized and represent deposits of main river channels (Facies 1, 2), fl ood basin (Facies 4), storm-infl uenced nearshore shelf bars (Facies 3), a paleosol (Facies 5), and tidal fl ats and channels (Facies 6, 7). The majority of plant assemblages are preserved in siltstones and are allochthonous and parautochthonous, with only one autochthonous assemblage identifi ed in the sequence above an apparent paleosol horizon. Taphonomic analysis reveals that plant material within allochthonous assemblages is highly fragmented, poorly preserved, and decayed. Plant material within parautochthonous assemblages shows evidence of minimal transport, is well preserved, and shows signs of biologic response after burial. The one autochthonous assemblage contains small root traces. Trimerophytes (Psilophyton and Pertica quadrifaria), rhyniophytes (cf. Taeniocrada), and lycopods (Drepanophycus and Kaulangiophyton) are the most common taxa in estuarine environments. Psilophyton taxa, Pertica, cf. Taeniocrada, and Drepanophycus are found also in fl uvial settings. The presence of tidal infl uence in deposits where parautochthonous and autochthonous assemblages occur shows that these plants occupied coastal-estuarine areas. However, the effects on the growth and colonization of plants of the physical conditions (e.g., salinity) that exist in these settings in the Early to Middle Devonian are unknown.

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Section: Taphonomic and Paleoecologic Implicationscontrasting

confidence: 55%

Section: Discussionmentioning

confidence: 99%

Section: Introductionmentioning

confidence: 97%

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Sedimentology and taphonomy of the Early to Middle Devonian plant-bearing beds of the Trout Valley Formation, Maine

Allen¹,

Gastaldo²

2006

Wetlands Through Time

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“…The lycophyte Asteroxylon mackiei (Emsian-Givetian) from the Rhynie Chert may have grown to heights of 50 cm (Gensel and Andrews, 1984;Gensel, 1992). Pertica quadrifaria, a trimerophyte from the Trout Valley of Maine (United States), grew to at least a meter in height (Kasper and Andrews, 1972; Allen and Gastaldo, this volume) if not taller. As such, wetlands comprised of these emergent plants formed the earliest marshes (inland shrub-dominated wetlands sensu Ramsar classifi cation).…”

Section: The Oldest Marshesmentioning

confidence: 99%

Evolution and importance of wetlands in earth history

Greb¹,

DiMichele²,

Gastaldo³

2006

Wetlands Through Time

113

102

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The fossil record of wetlands documents unique and long-persistent fl oras and faunas with wetland habitats spawning or at least preserving novel evolutionary characteristics and, at other times, acting as refugia. In addition, there has been an evolution of wetland types since their appearance in the Paleozoic. The fi rst land plants, beginning in the Late Ordovician or Early Silurian, were obligate dwellers of wet substrates. As land plants evolved and diversifi ed, different wetland types began to appear. The fi rst marshes developed in the mid-Devonian, and forest swamps originated in the Late Devonian. Adaptations to low-oxygen, low-nutrient conditions allowed for the evolution of fens (peat marshes) and forest mires (peat forests) in the Late Devonian. The differentiation of wetland habitats created varied niches that infl uenced the terrestrialization of arthropods in the Silurian and the terrestrialization of tetrapods in the Devonian (and later), and dramatically altered the way sedimentological, hydrological, and various biogeochemical cycles operated globally. Widespread peatlands evolved in the Carboniferous, with the earliest ombrotrophic tropical mires arising by the early Late Carboniferous. Carboniferous wetlandplant communities were complex, and although the taxonomic composition of these wetlands was vastly different from those of the Mesozoic and Cenozoic, these communities were essentially structurally, and probably dynamically, modern. By the Late Permian, the spread of the Glossopteris fl ora and its adaptations to more temperate or cooler climates allowed the development of mires at higher latitudes, where peats are most common today. Although widespread at the end of the Paleozoic, peat-forming wetlands virtually disappeared following the end-Permian extinction. The initial associations of crocodylomorphs, mammals, and birds with wetlands are well recorded in the Mesozoic. The radiation of Isoetales in the Early Triassic may have included a submerged lifestyle and hence, the expansion of aquatic wetlands. The evolution of heterosporous ferns introduced a fl oating vascular habit to aquatic wetlands. The evolution of angiosperms in the Cretaceous led to further expansion of aquatic species and the fi rst true mangroves. Increasing diversifi cation of angiosperms in the Tertiary led to increased fl oral partitioning in wetlands and a wide

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“…In contrast, Psilophyton and Pertica have at most two orders of axes and the fertile second‐order axes lack pseudomonopodial branching. The first‐order axes of Psilophyton are sometimes dichotomous (Gensel et al, 2001); the second‐order axes of Pertica quadrifaria (Kasper & Andrews, 1972) and P . varia (Granoff et al, 1976) are borne on the first‐order axes in a tetrastichous and decussate arrangement, respectively; the twist of sporangial pair is believed to typify many species of Psilophyton (Gerrienne, 1997), but is not recognized in Kunia.…”

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confidence: 99%

A new euphyllophyte Kunia venusta gen. et sp. nov. from the Middle Devonian of Yunnan, South China

Xiong

Wang

et al. 2012

J of Sytematics Evolution

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Kunia venusta gen. et sp. nov. is reported from the late Middle Devonian (Givetian) Haikou Formation near Kunming City, Yunnan Province, China. This plant has three orders of naked axes that divide pseudomonopodially. The second-and third-order axes occur in a helix. Fertile appendages are distantly spaced and helically inserted to the third-order axis; they comprise equally dichotomous branches terminated by two clusters of paired and fusiform sporangia. Sterile appendages are dichotomous and distally recurved. A comparison is made with the basal euphyllophytes including the trimerophytes, cladoxylopsids, zygopterids, stauropterids, and some relevant genera of uncertain affinity. The new plant resembles them in dichotomous appendages with terminal elongated sporangia, but differs mainly in the three orders of pseudomonopodial axes bearing helical laterals. It is thus placed in the Euphyllophytina as incertae sedis. It is suggested that an evolutionary divergence in the branching pattern and appendage morphology might have occurred in the Middle Devonian euphyllophytes, that is, maintaining three dimensions versus yielding more or less planation. Key words basal euphyllophytes, Kunia venusta, Middle Devonian, South China.Euphyllophytina (sensu Kenrick & Crane, 1997) is a major clade of vascular plants that comprises ferns, sphenopsids, seed plants, and the stem groups leading to these three lineages. Basal euphyllophytes, such as the trimerophytes, cladoxylopsids, rhacophytaleans, and progymnosperms, are abundant in the Devonian of the world. As summarized, the Middle Devonian (Givetian) plants occur widely in the Xichong Formation of Zhanyi, Wuding, Luquan, and Huaning Counties of eastern Yunnan, South China; many of them are basal and endemic elements of the euphyllophytes, for example, Eocladoxylon, Panxia, Rhipidophyton, Tauritheca, and Tsaia. These plants lack typical pseudosporochnalean/iridopteridalean cladoxylopsids and aneurophytalean progymnosperms, which were common in the coeval floras of Laurussia and Gondwana continents . Middle Devonian plants in eastern Yunnan indicate a palaeogeographical isolation and local tropical palaeoclimate . In this paper, a new euphyllophyte plant of uncertain affinity is described from the Givetian Haikou Formation, Kunming City, eastern Yunnan, China. It further indicates the endemic character- istics of the Middle Devonian flora of South China. Based on the morphological comparison with several plant groups and taxa, we discuss the classification of this plant and the evolution of the Middle Devonian euphyllophytes.

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Pertica, a New Genus of Devonian Plants from Northern Maine

Cited by 34 publications

References 4 publications

Sedimentology and taphonomy of the Early to Middle Devonian plant-bearing beds of the Trout Valley Formation, Maine

Sedimentology and taphonomy of the Early to Middle Devonian plant-bearing beds of the Trout Valley Formation, Maine

Evolution and importance of wetlands in earth history

A new euphyllophyte Kunia venusta gen. et sp. nov. from the Middle Devonian of Yunnan, South China

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