Geinitzia sp.

Moreau, Jean-David, Néraudeau, Didier, Philippe, Marc & Dépré, Éric, 2017, Albian flora from Archingeay-Les Nouillers (Charente- Maritime): comparison and synthesis of Cretaceous meso- and macro-remains from the Aquitaine Basin (southwestern France), Geodiversitas 39 (4), pp. 729-740 : 732

Geinitzia sp.

( Fig. 3A, B )

MATERIAL. — 1 specimen: IGR 2769b.

DESCRIPTION

Leafy axes straight, up to 85 mm long, and up to 14 mm wide. Branches arise at up to45°.Leaves are helically arranged,elongated, triangular in sagittal view, and show a long free part. The angle between the leaves and the main axis of the shoot is up to 60°. The leaves are up to 9 mm long, and up to 3 mm thick. The leaf margin is entire. The apex is acute and slightly curved adaxially.

REMARKS

This is the first record of Geinitzia from the Albian clay of Archingeay-les Nouillers. Geinitzia sp. is only known from a single specimen (two opposite slabs of the same specimen, i.e. part and counterpart) preserved as an adpression. The leaves and stems are broken into small pieces displaying a charcoalified aspect. Cuticle is not clearly distinguishable. Spirally arranged, elongated, lanceolate leaves forming an acute angle with the main axis are known among several Cretaceous conifers such as Elatocladus (T.Halle, 1913) , Geinitzia and Pagiophyllum (Heer, 1881 emend. T.M. Harris [1979]) . The leaf base of Geinitzia differs from the constricted leaf base of Elatocladus ( Kvaček 1999) . The leaves of Geinitzia from Archingeay-Les Nouillers differ from the more elongated leaves of Pagiophyllum from the Cenomanian of Jaunay-Clan (Vienne; Valentin et al. 2014).

Figures

FIG. 3. — A, Geinitzia Endl., 1847, leafy axis showing pointed and spirally arranged leaves;Géosciences Rennes, IGR 2769b; B, detail of A; C, Frenelopsis Schenk, 1869, leafy axis showing three small tips (arrows) on the apex, Géosciences Rennes, IGR 2769a; D, E, Glenrosa carentonensis Moreau, Néraudeau, Tafforeau & Dépré, 2015, leafy axes showing short and spirally arranged leaves, Géosciences Rennes, IGR 2769c. Scale bars: 1 cm.