''Celatheca'' is a

genus Genus (; : genera ) is a taxonomic rank above species and below family (taxonomy), family as used in the biological classification of extant taxon, living and fossil organisms as well as Virus classification#ICTV classification, viruses. In bino ...

of extinct plants of the

Early Devonian The Early Devonian is the first of three Epoch (geology), epochs comprising the Devonian period, corresponding to the Lower Devonian Series (stratigraphy), series. It lasted from and began with the Lochkovian Stage , which was followed by the Pr ...

(Pragian, around ). Fossils were first found in the Posongchong Formation of eastern Yunnan, China. The leafless stems (axes) divided dichotomously but unequally so that one branch formed more of a 'main' stem and the other a side branch system. Side branches which did not bear

spore In biology, a spore is a unit of sexual reproduction, sexual (in fungi) or asexual reproduction that may be adapted for biological dispersal, dispersal and for survival, often for extended periods of time, in unfavourable conditions. Spores fo ...

-forming organs or

sporangia A sporangium (from Late Latin, ; : sporangia) is an enclosure in which spores are formed. It can be composed of a unicellular organism, single cell or can be multicellular organism, multicellular. Virtually all plants, fungus, fungi, and many ot ...

divided two or three times further, ending in tips which curled back on themselves. Side branches bearing sporangia ultimately divided to produce a group of four sporangia, each with an outer leaf-like

bract In botany, a bract is a modified or specialized leaf, associated with a reproductive structure such as a flower, inflorescence axis or cone scale. Bracts are usually different from foliage leaves in size, color, shape or texture. They also lo ...

which folded around the sporangium. ''Celatheca'' resembles the Australian fossil '' Yarravia''.

References

Early Devonian plants Prehistoric plant genera {{devonian-plant-stub