Dinisia 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 : 223

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

T y p e. Designated here. Dinisia portugallica 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.

PFN000483 (for new genus).

E t y m o l o g y. In honor of the Portuguese geologist Jorge Dinis in recognition of his important contribution to the Cretaceous geology of Portugal.

D i a g n o s i s. Anther dithecate and tetrasporangiate.

Pollen small, elliptical to almost circular in equatorial outline, monocolpate. Colpus short. Exine semitectate-reticulate and columellate. Reticulum homobrochate, vermiform; lumina of irregular shape. Muri of irregular width, supported by long, scattered columellae. Colpus margin indistinct. Colpus membrane with a fragmented reticulum. Orbicules small, spherical.

C o m m e n t s o n t h e g e n u s. Pollen grains of Dinisia are distinguished from other Early Cretaceous pollen grains with a reticulate pollen wall and smooth muri mainly by the short colpus, the irregular muri, the diffuse colpus margin, and the colpus membrane covered by a fragmentary reticulum. In their diffuse colpus margin and partly reticulate colpus membrane the grains are similar to some of the grains assigned to Clavatipollenites (e.g. Textfig. 23), but these are characterized by muri with supratectal ornamentation of small spines or verrucae.