Kempia E.M.FRIIS, P.R.CRANE et K.R.PEDERSEN, 2019

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 : 218

Genus Kempia E.M.FRIIS, P.R.CRANE et K.R.PEDERSEN gen. nov.

T y p e. Designated here. Kempia longicolpites

E.M.FRIIS, P.R.CRANE et K.R.PEDERSEN gen. et sp. nov.

P l a n t F o s s i l N a m e s R e g i s t r y N u m b e r.

PFN000479 (for new genus).

E t y m o l o g y. In honor of the Australian palynologist Elizabeth M. Truswell (also known as Elizabeth M. Kemp) in recognition of her important contribution to Cretaceous palynology.

D i a g n o s i s. Anther dithecate, tetrasporangiate, narrowly elliptical. Pollen small, almost circular in equatorial outline, monocolpate, Colpus extending beyond the full length of the grains, but not dividing the grain into two halves. Exine semitectate-reticulate and columellate. Reticulum heterobrochate with irregular lumina and muri with occasional open ends. Muri smooth with slightly rounded profiles, supported by short, scattered columellae. Colpus margin distinct with reticulum continuing to the margin and the colpus margin delimited by the continuous marginal muri of the reticulum.

C o m m e n t s o n t h e g e n u s. Pollen grains of Kempia are similar to those of Retimoncolpites dividuus described by Pierce (1961) in having a very long colpus extending beyond the equator, but the grains are much smaller and the colpus does not divide the grain in two halves as in R. dividuus . The grains are also similar to those of Piercipollis in several respects (above), including the very loose reticulum, the long columellae and the distinct colpus margin formed from the marginal muri. However, pollen grains of Kempia differ from those of Piercipollis in their heterobrochate reticulum and their more extended colpus.