Open AccessLeaf architecture and ecophysiology of an early basal eudicot from the E arly C retaceous of S pain
Author(s) -
Barral Abel,
Gomez Bernard,
Feild Taylor S.,
Coiffard Clément,
DavieroGomez Véronique
Publication year - 2013
Publication title -
botanical journal of the linnean society
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.872
H-Index - 68
eISSN - 1095-8339
pISSN - 0024-4074
DOI - 10.1111/boj.12095
Subject(s) - biology , eudicots , ecophysiology , botany , paleobotany , cretaceous , paleoecology , paleontology , taxonomy (biology) , plant development , photosynthesis , biochemistry , gene
I terophyllum lobatum gen. et sp. nov. is reported from the late B arremian lithographic limestones of L as H oyas, S pain. It consists of a simple, petiolate leaf, with a pinnately lobed lamina. The dentate thickened margin bears chloranthoid‐like glands at lobe apices and sinuses. The venation is pinnate and craspedodromous, with three discernible vein orders. Based on the low regularity of vein course and angles and the low leaf rank, such a venation pattern may represent an early evolved leaf archetype in early basal eudicots. An acropetal leaf development mode in I . lobatum is similar to that in several living P apaveraceae. The leaf architecture and ecophysiology, particularly the vein widths and the glands, indicate that I . lobatum leaves were aerial. The plant grew close to water in the wetland terrestrial ecosystem of L as H oyas. I terophyllum lobatum might have been an opportunist species in early ecological succession stages after wildfires. © 2013 The Linnean Society of London, Botanical Journal of the Linnean Society , 2013, 173 , 594–605.