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STRUCTURALLY PRESERVED FOSSIL PLANTS FROM ANTARCTICA III. PERMIAN SEEDS
Author(s) -
Taylor Thomas N.,
Taylor Edith L.
Publication year - 1987
Publication title -
american journal of botany
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 1.218
H-Index - 151
eISSN - 1537-2197
pISSN - 0002-9122
DOI - 10.1002/j.1537-2197.1987.tb08694.x
Subject(s) - biology , ovule , permian , botany , pollen , gondwana , gymnosperm , megaspore , context (archaeology) , paleobotany , paleontology , plant development , biochemistry , structural basin , gene
Small, anatomically preserved gymnospermous seeds are detailed from late Permian age silicified specimens collected in the Beardmore Glacier region of Antarctica. The seeds are platyspermic with prominent, sarcotestal wings and a simple pollen chamber. The integument consists of a narrow endotesta, a two‐parted sclerotesta and a complex sarcotesta. In mature seeds, the nucellus is present as a papery layer, separated from the endotesta by a nucellar and endotestal cuticle. Cellular megagametophytes are present in many of the seeds and commonly contain two archegonia. A multicellular embryo is present within each archegonium. The embryos are at a similar stage of development and provide evidence of simple polyembryony in these seeds. Although the affinities of the seeds are not presently known, they are discussed in the context of other seeds described from Gondwana deposits, as well as the known flora from the Beardmore Glacier area.