Ephedrispermum lusitanicum RYDIN, K.R.PEDERSEN, P.R.CRANE et E.M. FRIIS , 2006

Friis, Else Marie, Crane, Peter R. & Pedersen, Kaj Raunsgaard, 2019, The Early Cretaceous Mesofossil Flora Of Torres Vedras (Ne Of Forte Da Forca), Portugal: A Palaeofloristic Analysis Of An Early Angiosperm Community, Fossil Imprint 75 (2), pp. 153-257 : 170-171

Ephedrispermum lusitanicum RYDIN, K.R.PEDERSEN, P.R.CRANE et E.M. FRIIS, 2006

Text-fig. 11d–f

D e s c r i p t i o n a n d r e m a r k s.Chlamydospermous seeds that are four-angled to circular in transverse section, about 0.7 mm long and 0.55–0.6.5 mm wide. The seed envelope is sclerenchymatic with about 40 slightly raised longitudinal ridges ( Text-fig. 11d ). Ephedroid pollen grains have been observed in the micropyles of several specimens and also on the surface of the seed envelope ( Text-fig. 11e, f ).

A f f i n i t y a n d o t h e r o c c u r r e n c e s. Ephedrispermum lusitanicum is common in the Torres Vedras mesofossil flora and also in the mesofossil flora from Buarcos (the type locality for the genus and species). Seeds of Ephedrispermum are also known from the Famalicão and Vale de Água mesofossil floras, but these seeds differ in having fewer ridges on the seed envelope and in details of the associated pollen grains. The Famalicão and Vale de Água specimens have been assigned to a separate species E. tenuicostatum E.M.FRIIS, P.R.CRANE et K.R.PEDERSEN ( Friis et al. 2019c) .

Genus Quadrispermum E.M.FRIIS, K.R.PEDERSEN et P.R.CRANE, 2013

Figures

Text-fig. 11. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of seeds assigned to the BEG group (a–d) and associated pollen grains (e–i); Torres Vedras locality, Portugal. a) Seed of Tomcatia taylorii showing the four horns formed by extensions of the envelope and the central projection of the envelope that surrounds to the micropylar tube; b, c) Seeds of Quadrispermum parvum in lateral (b) and apical (c) views showing the transverse ribs and the central projection of the envelope that surrounds the micropylar tube; d–f) Seeds of Ephedrispermum lusitanicum showing the four-angled seed envelope (d), the micropylar tube surrounded by the tissues of the integument (e), and ephedroid pollen grains on the seed surface (f); g) Apex of seed of Quadrispermum parvum showing simple