Serialis parva 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 : 190

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

Text-fig. 24c–e

D e s c r i p t i o n a n d r e m a r k s. Serialis parva is very similar to Serialis antiqua in organization and seed coat structure, but the fruits are smaller and there are only one or two seeds per fruit ( Text-fig. 24c–e ). The seed coat is mesotestal-endotestal with surface of mesotesta characterized by a jigsaw puzzle shaped pattern from the strongly undulate anticlinal walls of the mesotestal cells ( Text-fig. 24d ).

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. Serialis parva is common in the Torres Vedras mesofossil flora. It also occurs at the Buarcos locality where it is rare ( Friis et al. 2019a). Like other species of Serialis, the relationship of S. parva is with Magnoliales , but the character combination seen in the fossils is unknown in any extant family of the order ( Friis et al. 2019a).

Figures

Text-fig. 24. Scanning electron microscope (SEM) images (a, c, d) and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM) images (b, e) of fruits and seeds of Serialis antiqua (a, b) and Serialis parva (c–e); Torres Vedras locality, Portugal. a, b) Serialis antiqua lateral view of fruit showing smooth partly abraded fruit wall (a) and longitudinal section (b, SRXTM orthoslice yz0862) showing six closely adhering seeds, some of which are mature with well-preserved nutritive tissue; c–e) Serialis parva lateral view of fruit showing faint ribs (c), finely pitted seed surface with undulate anticlinal walls of the exotestal cells (d), and transverse section showing two closely adhering seeds (SRXTM orthoslice xy0913, e). Specimens, TV43-S174480 (a, b), TV43-S170076 (c), TV43-S170079 (d), TV43-S174477 (e). Scale bars 300 Μm (a–c, e), 50 Μm (d).