The morphology and taxonomy of Cycadolepis jenkinsiana and Zamites recta from the Lower Cretaceous Kirkwood Formation of South Africa

Date
1977
Authors
Brown, John T.
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research
Abstract
Cycodolepis jenkinsiana, a bennettitalean scale-leaf, is shown to have had two types of venation, is shown not to be covered by hairs as had previously been thought and has a strong association with Zamites recta, the most common vegetative leaf species to be found in the Kirkwood Formation of the Algoa Basin. The morphology of Zamites recta is reasonably clear and this species has definite affinities with the Bennettitales based on its gross morphology and a single microscopic character, i.e. sinuous epidermal cell walls of the pinnae. Zamites morrisii is shown to be only a variant of the better represented Z. recta. Two of the previously described species of Zamites, Z. rubidgei and Z. africana are excluded from Zamites.
Description
Main article
Keywords
Kirkwood Formation; Algoa Basin; bennettitalean
Citation
None
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