Erdtmanithecales is an extinct order of

gymnosperm The gymnosperms ( lit. revealed seeds) are a group of seed-producing plants that includes conifers, cycads, '' Ginkgo'', and gnetophytes, forming the clade Gymnospermae. The term ''gymnosperm'' comes from the composite word in el, γυμν ...

plants known from the Mesozoic era. Known remains include pollen organs, seed cones and seeds associated with '' Eucommiidites'' pollen, which is considered diagnostic for the order. The order was first described in 1996. While ''Eucommiidites'' pollen first appears in the Early Jurassic, associated floral remains are not found until the Early Cretaceous. It is thought that the group are closely related to

Gnetales Gnetophyta () is a division of plants (alternatively considered the subclass Gnetidae or order Gnetales), grouped within the gymnosperms (which also includes conifers, cycads, and ginkgos), that consists of some 70 species across the three rel ...

as well as possibly

Bennettitales Bennettitales (also known as cycadeoids) is an extinct order of seed plants that first appeared in the Permian period and became extinct in most areas toward the end of the Cretaceous. Bennettitales are among the most common Mesozoic seed plants ...

Systematics

* Order Erdtmanithecales Friis and Pedersen 1996 **family Erdtrnanithecaeae Friis and Pedersen 1996 ***'' Erdtmanitheca'' Pedersen, Crane & Friis, 1989 (pollen organ) ****''Erdtmanitheca portucalensis'' Mendes et al., 2010 (Aptian-Albian),

Lusitanian Basin The Lusitanian Basin is a rift basin located on both the mainland and continental shelf off the west-central coast of Portugal. It covers an area measuring and extends north-south from Porto to Lisbon. The basin varies between approximately a ...

, Portugal ****''Erdtmanitheca texensis'' Pedersen, Crane & Friis, 1989

Woodbine Formation The Woodbine Group is a geological formation in east Texas whose strata date back to the Early to Middle Cenomanian age of the Late Cretaceous. It is the producing formation of the giant East Texas Oil Field (also known as the "Black Giant") fro ...

, Texas, USA, Cenomanian ***'' Erdtmanispermum'' Pedersen, Crane & Friis, 1989 (seeds) ****''Erdtmanispermum juncalense'' Mendes et al., 2007 Berriasian,

, Portugal ****''Erdtmanispermum balticum'' Pedersen, Crane & Friis, 1989 Jydegard formation, Denmark, Berriasian-Valanginian ***'' Eucommiitheca'' Friis and Pedersen 1996 (pollen organ) ****''Eucommiitheca hirsuta'' Friis and Pedersen 1996 Barremian-Aptian, Lusitanian Basin, Portugal ***'' Bayeritheca'' Kvaček and Pacltová, 2001 (pollen organ) ****''Bayeritheca hugesii'' Peruc-Korycany Formation, Bohemia, Czech Republic, Cenomanian ** ''

Incertae sedis ' () or ''problematica'' is a term used for a taxonomic group where its broader relationships are unknown or undefined. Alternatively, such groups are frequently referred to as "enigmatic taxa". In the system of open nomenclature, uncertain ...

'' ***'' Araripestrobus'' Seyfullah, E.A.Roberts, A.R.Schmidt et L.Kunzmann, 2020 (pollen cones) ****''Araripestrobus resinosus'' Seyfullah, E.A.Roberts, A.R.Schmidt et L.Kunzmann, 2020,

Crato Formation The Crato Formation is a geologic formation of Early Cretaceous (Aptian) age in northeastern Brazil's Araripe Basin. It is an important Lagerstätte (undisturbed fossil accumulation) for palaeontologists. The strata were laid down mostly durin ...

, Brazil, Aptian

References

{{Taxonbar, from=Q100907160 Prehistoric plant orders Mesozoic plants Prehistoric gymnosperms