XII.—On Salpingostoma dasu: A New Carboniferous Seed from East Lothian

Abstract

In a recent paper (Gordon, 1938) reasons were given for the belief that semi-arid conditions prevailed during Lower Carboniferous times in the neighbourhood of North Berwick, East Lothian. The evidence was opposed, in a measure, to that advanced by Mr George Barrow in the East Lothian Memoir (1910) to substantiate the same position. He had relied on the absence of fossils as part proof; but, in point of fact, fossil plants have been obtained in abundance from the actual bedded ashes of Oxroad Bay that he considered (a) to be unfossiliferous, and (b) to have been formed in a manner similar to beds on the Springbok Flats of the Transvaal. The plants that have now been obtained showed xerophytic features, and, consequently, a semi-arid climate was proved on positive evidence. Other positive evidence of a lithological character was also presented in confirmation (Gordon, 1938, pp. 352, 353).

Early seed plants from Western Gondwana: Paleobiogeographical and ecological implications based on Tournaisian (Lower Carboniferous) records from Argentina

“…Most Lower Mississippian ovules known until now have been described from Laurussia among which a large part comes from the Scottish Cementstone group (Gordon, 1941;Long, 1960aLong, , b, c, 1961aLong, , b, 1965Long, , 1966Long, , 1969Long, , 1975Long, , 1977aBarnard and Long, 1973). Recently, a number of ovules have however been described from Gondwana (Erwin et al, 1994;Césari, 1997;Carrizo and Azcuy, 1998;Galtier et al, 2007).…”

The Influence of Paleozoic Ovule and Cupule Morphologies on Wind Pollination

“…were constructed out of a flexible modelling clay and mounted on dissecting needles. The dimensions of models were scaled (one to one) to their prototypes, based on those reported for each taxon: Genomosp erma kidstoni (Long, 1960a), G. latens (Long, 1960a), Salpingostoma dasu (Gordon, 1941), Physostoma elegans (Williamson, 1876), Eurystoma angulare (Long, 1960b), Stamnostoma huttonense (Long, 1960c), Gnetopsis elliptica (Renault and Zeiller, 1884), and Calathospermum scoticum (Walton, 1949). Tomentose surfaces on various ovules were simulated by means of appressing small amounts of cotton to the appropriate regions of the model (the modelling clay is slightly adhesive, so cotton fibers become firmly adfixed).…”

The Evolution of the Ovule

“…The nucellar apex of the Lagenostomales frequently has an elaborate structure. For example, in the Lower Carboniferous ovule Salpingostoma dasu Gordon (1941) it comprises a hollow, dome-shaped lagenostome or pollen chamber, whose apex is prolonged to form a long tubular structure, named by Gordon the salpynx (Fig. I c).…”

“…The fusion of the integument to the nucellus. This stage is represented by Calathospermum scoticum Walton (1949) and Salpingostoma dasu Gordon (1941).…”