Peltaspermaceae is a natural family of seed ferns (
Pteridospermatophyta
The term Pteridospermatophyta (or "seed ferns" or "Pteridospermatopsida") is a polyphyletic group of extinct seed-bearing plants (spermatophytes). The earliest fossil evidence for plants of this type is the genus ''Elkinsia'' of the late Devonia ...
) widespread in both northern and southern hemispheres coal measures of Permian and Triassic age. Peltasperms persisted in a
relictual distribution in Patagonia during the Early Jurassic.
Description
Peltaspermaceae have umbrella-like (peltate)
cupule
A cupule is a small structure shaped like a cup, including:
* In archeology, rock cupules are circular man-made hollows on the surface of a large rock or a rock slab
** On a smaller artifact they are called a cupstone.
* In botany: the base of an ...
s with numerous pendant
ovules born in complex large branching structures (''
Peltaspermum'').
The pollen organ (''
Antevsia'') has radiating cigar-shaped pollen sacs attached to small blades, again in complex branching structures.
The leaves (''
Lepidopteris'') are bipinnate to tripinnate with small pinnules on the rachis.
References
External links
*
Permian plants
Triassic plants
Prehistoric plant families
Pteridospermatophyta
Permian first appearances
Triassic extinctions
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