New Pennsylvanian calamite fossil reveals a two-sporangia form
Discover a newly described calamite fructification that shows a unique arrangement of sporangia, shedding light on the evolution of ancient plant cones.
This study introduces Mazostachys pendulata as a fresh addition to Pennsylvanian fossil flora. The specimen preserves a cone attached to a Calamites shoot, featuring a cone axis with a distinct pairing of bracts and sporangiophores. Notably, each sporangiophore bears two sporangia in a pendulous position, a feature not seen in some related types. The work also confirms the cones are homosporous, with spores about 60 microns in diameter and a clearly defined contagionis area.
What you’ll find in this edition:
- A new genus and species of calamite fructification with a two-sporangia-per-sporangiophore design
- Detailed anatomy of the cone axis, node structure, bracts, and sporangiophore arrangement
- Comparison with other calamite types to clarify evolutionary relationships
- Context for the fossil’s Illinois Pennsylvanian locality and its preservation in ironstone concretions
Ideal for readers of Pennsylvanian fossil plants, coal-field paleobotany, and Illinois geology, this edition provides clear descriptions and plates that illustrate the cone’s structure and its place in plant evolution.