Canrightiopsis intermedia E.M.FRIIS, G.W.GRIMM, M.M.MENDES et K.R.PEDERSEN, 2015

Friis, Else Marie, Crane, Peter R., Pedersen, Kaj Raunsgaard, Mendes, Mário Miguel & Kvaček, Jiří, 2022, The Early Cretaceous Mesofossil Flora Of Catefica, Portugal: Angiosperms, Fossil Imprint 78 (2), pp. 341-424 : 351

Canrightiopsis intermedia E.M.FRIIS, G.W.GRIMM, M.M.MENDES et K.R.PEDERSEN, 2015

Text-fig. 6d–f

Description and remarks. A single specimen from the Catefica mesofossil flora can be assigned with confidence to Canrightiopsis intermedia . It is a small, single-seeded berry with remains of a hypanthium and scars from three stamens on the probable abaxial side of the fruit ( Text-fig. 6d ). In this respect the specimen is closely similar to Canrightiopsis crassitesta (see above) as also is the seed in being orthotropous, pendent and endotestal with a pitted outer surface of the endotesta. However, the Catefica specimen of C. intermedia differs from C. crassitesta in its much thinner endotesta ( Text-fig. 6e, f ). Pollen grains have not been observed attached to the C. intermedia specimen from Catefica, but Clavatipollenites - type pollen grains were reported on specimens of C. intermedia from Famalicão ( Friis et al. 2015a).

Affinity and other occurrences. Canrightiopsis is placed in the Chloranthaceae close to Ascarina , Sarcandra and Chloranthus clade (seeabove). Canrightiopsis intermedia is based on fruits and seeds from the Famalicão mesofossil flora where the species is very common ( Friis et al. 2015a) and is also reported from the Buarcos and Vale de Água localities. The species is distinguished from C. crassitesta mainly by its much thinner endotesta.

Figures

Text-fig. 6. Scanning electron microscope (SEM, a, g, h) and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM, b–f) images of fruits and pollen grains of Canrightiopsis crassitesta (a–c, g, h) and fruit of Canrightiopsis intermedia (d–f); Catefica locality, Portugal. a) Dorsal view of fruit showing rim of hypanthium (arrowheads); b) Surface rendering of longitudinal section in the median plane of fruit (cut between orthoslices yz0440-0510) showing the thin fruit wall, thick endotesta of the seed coat (en, dark blue) and the orthotropous, pendent seed with the chalaza (ch) near the fruit apex and the micropyle (mi) at the fruit base; note the tiny embryo (emb) adjacent to the micropyle at the base of the fruit; c) Longitudinal section (orthoslice xz0511) through the seed wall showing the thick, finely crystalliferous endotesta (en) surrounding the nutritive tissue of the seed; d) Surface rendering of fruit in dorsal view showing rim of the hypanthium (arrowheads) and apical stigmatic region (st); e) Surface rendering of longitudinal section of fruit in (d) (cut at orthoslice xz0560) showing the crystalliferous endotesta (en, dark blue) and the inner tissues of the seed; f) Longitudinal section (orthoslice xz0560) through fruit and seed showing the finely crystalliferous endotesta (en) and thin fruit wall (fr); g, h) Pollen grains from apical region of fruit showing poorly defined margin of the single colpus, reticulate tectum and muri ornamented by minute verrucae. Specimens, Catefica 343-S174311 (a), Catefica 49-S174159 (b, c), Catefica 50-S174905 (d–f), Catefica 342-S122089 (g, h). Scale bars = 300 Μm (a, b, d, e), 150 Μm (c, f), 6 Μm (g), 3 Μm (h). g, h published with permission from Grana.