Goczania punctata 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 : 197-199

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

Text-fig. 29a–c

H o l o t y p e. Designated here. S148024 (Torres Vedras sample 44; figured Text-fig. 29a–c ).

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.

PFN000464 (for new species).

R e p o s i t o r y. Palaeobotanical Collections , Department of Palaeobiology, the Swedish Museum of Natural History, Stockholm, Sweden .

E t y m o l o g y. From Latin: punctatus referring to punctate pollen wall.

T y p e l o c a l i t y. Torres Vedras (NE of Forte de

Forca; 39°06′13″ N, 9°14′47″ W).

T y p e s t r a t u m a n d a g e. Lower member of the Almargem Formation; Early Cretaceous (late Barremianearly Aptian).

D i a g n o s i s. As for the genus with the following additions: Equatorial outline of pollen circular to transversely elliptical. Microechinae on proximal surface and bordering the colpus; distal face, except along the colpus, punctatefoveolate.

D i s t i n g u i s h i n g f e a t u r e s. Pollen of Goczania punctata is closely similar to that of G. inaequalis , but differs in the slightly larger grains that have a distinctly perforate tectum on their distal face. Pollen of Goczania punctata is also distinguished from that of G. rugosa in having a smoother surface and in having the microechinae restricted mainly to the proximal face of the grains.

D i m e n s i o n s. Diameter of pollen grains: 13–14 µm.

D e s c r i p t i o n a n d r e m a r k s. Goczania punctata is based on a single anther fragment ( Text-fig. 29a ) with pollen in situ. Orbicules on the inner surface of the anther and among the pollen grains are rare. They are small, spherical and with a microechinate surface.

Pollen grains are small, circular to slightly transversely elliptical in equatorial outline, about 13–14 µm in equatorial diameter ( Text-fig. 29b, c ) and monocolpate. The colpus is long, reaching almost to the equator ( Text-fig. 29b, c ). The colpus margin is distinct ( Text-fig. 29b ). The exine is tectate with a supratectal ornamentation of solitary microechinae on the proximal surface and bordering the colpus. On the distal surface, beyond the colpus margin, the tectum is psilatepunctate-foveolate ( Text-fig. 29b, c ).

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. Goczania punctata is currently known only from the Torres Vedras mesofossil flora. Like Appomattoxia minuta , Appomattoxia ancistrophora , Appofructus nudus and Appofructus sp. , along with Goczania rugosa and Goczania inaequalis , Goczania punctata is probably related to extant Piperales (see above).

Figures

Text-fig. 29. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images of monocolpate pollen of Goczania punctata sp. nov.; Torres Vedras locality, Portugal. a–c) Holotype; anther fragment (a) with group of pollen grains showing the distal face (b, c) with clearly delimited colpus, the almost psilate tectum with occasional small perforations, and poorly differentiated microechinae on the proximal face (b). Specimen, TV44-S148024 (holotype). Scale bars 300 Μm (a), 6 Μm (b, c).