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Stanwoodia, a new genus of probable early gymnosperms from the Dinantian of East Kirkton, Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

Jean Galtier  and
Andrew C. Scott
Jean Galtier
Affiliation:
Jean Galtier, Laboratoire de Paléobotanique, Institut des Sciences de l'Evolution, URA 327 CNRS, Université des Sciences et Techniques, 34095 Montpellier, France
Andrew C. Scott
Affiliation:
Andrew C. Scott, Geology Department, Royal Holloway and Bedford New College, Egham Hill Egham, Surrey TW200EX, U.K.
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Abstract

A new taxon of probable early gymnosperms is described from permineralised specimens showing excellent preservation of the tissues, from the late Lower Carboniferous (Dinantian), Brigantian, deposits of the Midland Valley of Scotland. Stanwoodia gen. nov., represented by the single species S. kirktonensis sp. nov., shows the combination of a primitive protostelic organisation with a dense secondary wood. It closely compares to the enigmatic genus Bilignea which was formerly referred with some reservations to the Cordaitales. Another interest of the new plant concerns the excellent preservation of the phloem with at least three different types of constituent cells including fibres. Stanwoodia also exhibits the oldest well-documented evidence of a sequent periderm or rhytidome in fossil plants.

Keywords

PlantstemLower CarboniferousBrigantiangymnospermprotostelephloemperiderm
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 82 , Issue 2 , 1991 , pp. 113 - 123
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1991

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