Hostname: page-component-586b7cd67f-rcrh6 Total loading time: 0 Render date: 2024-11-26T09:15:38.107Z Has data issue: false hasContentIssue false
  • English
  • Français

New finds of Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert from the Lower Devonian of Scotland

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  03 November 2011

R. J. Rayner
R. J. Rayner
Affiliation:
Bernard Price Institute for Palaeontological Research, University of the Witwatersrand, 1, Jan Smuts Avenue, Johannesburg 2001, South Africa
Get access Rights & Permissions [Opens in a new window]

Abstract

Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert is a long ranging Devonian plant. Although reported from numerous localities, it is far from well understood. Observations on specimens from the Emsian Strathmore Group of Scotland have revealed variation in forms of branching including root-like axes on branches interpreted as rhizomes. The anatomy of the xylem is described from uncompressed pyrite permineralisations. Cuticle characteristics are also described and discussed. The systematic position of the plant is debated since, although the morphology of the leaves, leaf traces, roots and xylem indicate an affinity with the lycopods, there is some doubt as to whether sporangial position permits inclusion in this group.

Keywords

compressionscuticleexarch xylemfalcate leavesH branchlycopodpermineralisationsrootsstomata
Type
Research Article
Information
Earth and Environmental Science Transactions of The Royal Society of Edinburgh , Volume 75 , Issue 4 , 1984 , pp. 353 - 363
Copyright
Copyright © Royal Society of Edinburgh 1984

Access options

Get access to the full version of this content by using one of the access options below. (Log in options will check for institutional or personal access. Content may require purchase if you do not have access.)

References

Armstrong, M. & Paterson, I. B. 1970. The Lower Old Red Sandstone of the Strathmore region. REP INST GEOL SCI LONDON 70/12.Google Scholar
Chaloner, W. G. 1967. Lycophyta. In Boureau, E. (ed.) Traité de Paléobotanique 2, 437–802. Paris: Masson et cie.Google Scholar
Croft, W. N. & Lang, W. H. 1942. The Lower Devonian flora of the Senni Beds of Monmouthshire and Breconshire. PHIL TRANS R SOC LONDON 231B, 131–64.Google Scholar
Dawson, J. W. 1871. The fossil plants of the Devonian and Upper Silurian formations of Canada, 1–92. Montreal: Geological Survey of Canada.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Dorf, E. & Cooper, J. R. 1943. Early Devonian plants from Newfoundland. J PALEONT 17, 264–70.Google Scholar
Edwards, D., Edwards, D. S. & Rayner, R. J. 1982. The cuticle of early vascular plants and its evolutionary significance. In Cutler, D. F., Alvin, K. L. & Price, C. E. (eds) The Plant Cuticle 341–362. London: Academic Press.Google Scholar
Fairon-Demaret, M. 1971. Quelques caractères anatomiques du Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert — Note préliminaire. C R ACAD SCI PARIS 273D, 933–5.Google Scholar
Fairon-Demaret, M. 1978. Observations nouvelles sur les axes végétatifs de Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert de l'emsian inferieur des “Nouvelles carrières” de Dave, Belgique. REV PALAEOBOT PALYNOL 26, 9–20.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Ford, J. 1974. Palynology of the Upper Silurian and Lower Devonian of the Midland Valley of Scotland. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis London University.Google Scholar
Foster, A. S. & Gifford, E. M. 1974. Comparative morphology of vascular plants. San Francisco: Freeman.Google Scholar
Gensel, P., Kasper, A. & Andrews, H. N. 1969. Kaulangiophyton, a new genus of plants from the Devonian of Maine. BULL TORREY BOT CLUB 96, 265–76.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Göppert, H. R. 1852. Fossile flora des Ubergangsgebirger. VERH KAIS LEOPOLDIN-CAROL AKAD NATURFORSCH 14, 1–299.Google Scholar
Grierson, J. D. & Banks, H. P. 1983. A new genus of lycopods from the Devonian of New York State, J LINN SOC BOT 86, 81–101.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Grierson, J. D. & Hueber, F. M. 1968. Devonian lycopods from northern New Brunswick. In Oswald, D. (ed.) International Symposium on the Devonian System 2, 823–36. Calgary: Alberta Society of Petroleum Geologists.Google Scholar
Halle, T. G. 1936. On Drepanophycus Protolepidodendron and Propteridium, with notes on the Palaeozoic flora of Yunnan. PALAEONTOL SIN 1A, 5–38.Google Scholar
Hartman, C. M. 1981. The effect of pyrite on the tracheid structure of Drepanophycus spinaeformis, a long ranging Devonian lycopod. REV PALAEOBOT PALYNOL 32, 239–55.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Heard, A. 1939. Further notes on Lower Devonian plants from South Wales. Q J GEOL SOC LONDON 95, 223–9.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Henderson, S. M. K. 1932. Notes on Lower Old Red Sandstone plants from Callander Perthshire. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH 57, 277–85.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Kräusel, R. & Weyland, H. 1935. Neue pflanzenfunde im rheinischen Unterdevons. PALAEONTOGR 80B, 177–84.Google Scholar
Lang, W. H. 1932. Contributions to the study of the Old Red Sandstone flora of Scotland. VIII On Arthrostigma Psilophyton and some associated plant remains from the Strathmore Beds of the Caledonian Lower Old Red Sandstone. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH 57, 491–521.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Lang, W. H. & Cookson, I. C. 1935. On a flora in Silurian rocks from Australia. PHIL TRANS R SOC LONDON 224B, 421–49.Google Scholar
Leclercq, S. 1960. Refundage d'une roche fossilifère et dégagement de ses fossiles sous binoculaire. SENCKENBERGEANA LETHAEA 41, 483–7.Google Scholar
Lele, K. M. & Walton, J. 1961. Contributions to the knowledge of “Zosterophyllum myretonianum” Penhallow from the Lower Old Red Sandstone of Angus. TRANS R SOC EDINBURGH 64, 469–75.Google Scholar
Matten, L. C. 1973. Preparation of pyritised plant petrifactions: “a plea for pyrite.” REV PALAEOBOT PALYNOL 16, 165–73.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Rayner, R. J. 1982. Studies on Old Red Sandstone Floras from Scotland. Unpublished Ph.D. thesis, University of Wales.Google Scholar
Rayner, R. J. 1983. New observations on Sawdonia ornata from Scotland. TRANS R SOCEDINBURGH 74, 79–93.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schopf, J. M. 1975. Modes of fossil preservation. REV PALAEOBOT PALYNOL 20, 27–53.CrossRefGoogle Scholar
Schweitzer, H-J. 1980a. Über Drepanophycus spinaeformis Göppert. BONNER PALAEOBOT MITT 7, 1–29.Google Scholar
Schweitzer, H-J. 1980b. Über Taeniophyton inopinatum Protoly-copodites devonicus and Cladoxylon scoparium aus dem Mitteldevon von Wuppertal. PALAEONTOGR 173B, 1–25.Google Scholar
Scott, A. C., Edwards, D. & Rolfe, W. D. I. 1976. Fossiliferous Lower Old Red Sandstone near Cardross, Dumbartonshire. PROC GEOL SOC GLASGOW 117, 4–5.Google Scholar
Stockmans, F. 1940. Végétaux Eodevoniens de la Belgique. MEM MUS R HIST NAT BELG 93, 1–90.Google Scholar
Stubblefield, S. & Banks, H. P. 1978. The cuticle of Drepanophycus spinaeformis, a long ranging Devonian lycopod from New York and eastern Canada. AM J BOT 65, 110–8.Google Scholar