Coniopteris Brongniart, 1849

Halamski, Adam T., Kvaček, Jiří, Svobodová, Marcela, Durska, Ewa & Heřmanová, Zuzana, 2020, Late Cretaceous mega-, meso-, and microfloras from Lower Silesia, Acta Palaeontologica Polonica 65 (4), pp. 811-878 : 822-825

Genus Coniopteris Brongniart, 1849

Type: Coniopteris murrayana (Brongniart, 1835) Brongniart, 1849 ≡ Pecopteris murrayana Brongniart, 1835 ; Jurassic, Yorkshire, United Kingdom.

Remarks.— Coniopteris was interpreted as a representative of the Dicksoniaceae by Harris (1961). Kvaček and Manum (1993) applied the fossil-genus name Coniopteris to their specimen because of difficulties in distinguishing between species belonging to the Dennstaedtiaceae and the Dicksoniaceae . Li et al. (2020) interpreted Coniopteris as a stem group of Polypodiales .

Coniopteris ? sp. Fig. 4C .

Material.—Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2018/0006.

Description.—The only available specimen consists of three pinnae of last order arranged parallel to each other in a way suggesting they were attached to a common axis; the organic connection with a tiny fragment of rachis of the n – 1)-th order is preserved, but is so small, that the direction of branching cannot be verified.

Frond at least bipinnate, branching catadromous?, preserved length of pinnae of the n-th order up to 25 mm. Pinnules small, trilobately dissected, 3–5 mm long and 2–3 mm wide; the terminal lobe of each pinnule always larger than the lateral ones. The first (catadromous) pinnule at the base of a pinna of the n-th order subcircular in shape. Venation difficult to observe.

Remarks.—The pinnules of the described fern are intermediate in shape between those of Coniopteris hymenophylloides (Brongniart, 1828) Seward, 1900 , and C. murrayana from the Middle Jurassic of Yorkshire ( Harris 1961). However, both have first pinnules of a pinna developed into aphlebioid fili- form processes (van Konijnenburg-van Cittert and Morgans 1999), which is not the case in the studied material.

Division Gymnospermae ( Lindley, 1830) Prantl, 1874

Class Coniferae ( Jussieu, 1789) Engler, 1892

Order Pinales Gorožankin, 1904

Family Pinaceae Lindley, 1836

Genus Pinus Linnaeus, 1753

Type: Pinus sylvestris Linnaeus, 1753 ; Recent, Eurasia.

Pinus longissima Velenovský, 1885

Fig. 5G.

1882 Pinus Quenstedti Heer ; Williger 1882: 84.

1885 Pinus longissima m.; Velenovský 1885: 29–30, pl. 1: 14–17.

Material.—Wartowice, Assemblage 2, Coniacian: MB.Pb. 2008/0337.

Description.—Ovuliferous cone 180 mm long and up to 25 mm broad, consisting of numerous helically arranged cone-scales, each scale bearing a distally diamond-shaped apophysis (escutcheon) with umbo. Some cone-scales apparently with two seeds on the adaxial side.

Remarks.—The described specimen bears a manuscript label by Heinrich R. Goeppert saying “ Pinus longissima Goepp. ”; this name, however, has never been validly published. Velenovský (1885) used the epithet longissimus (“the longest” in Latin) for the description of a Cenomanian ovuliferous cone from Kralupy nad Vltavou in Bohemia ( Velenovský 1885: pl. 1: 14–17). The Coniacian cone from Wartowice belongs to the species described from the Bohemian Cenomanian. The oldest representatives of the modern genus Pinus are known from the Cretaceous ( Miller 1988; Ryberg et al. 2012, Kvaček 2013b; Falcon-Lang et al. 2016).

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Cenomanian, Bohemia (Dijkstra 1973: 665 and references therein); Coniacian, Silesia (this paper). A poorly preserved specimen from the Lower Greensand (Aptian) of Maidstone, England was compared to this species by Stopes (1915: 141); this was misin- dexed as an indication of the presence of this species in England by Seward (1919: 385).

Fig. 5. Late Cretaceous conifers from the North Sudetic Basin, Lower Silesia, Poland. A–C. Twig fragments of Geinitzia reichenbachii (Geinitz, → 1842) Hollick and Jeffrey, 1909. A. MB.Pb.2008/0240, Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?). B. MB.Pb.2018/0049, Bolesławiec, Assemblage 8 (Santonian). C. MB.Pb.2008/0363, Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?). D, F. Cone scales of Protodammara sp. D . MB.Pb.2018/0078, Rakowice Małe,Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?). F. MB.Pb.2018/005 with amber pieces, Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?); see colour photograph in Fig. 2C. E. Geinitzia cf. formosa Heer, 1871 . Ovuliferous cone longitudinally broken (part and counterpart) MB.Pb.2008/250a, b, Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?). G. Pinus longissima Velenovský, 1885 . Ovuliferous cone MB.Pb.2008/0337, Wartowice, Assemblage 2 (Coniacian).

Family Cupressaceae Gray, 1821

Genus Protodammara ( Hollick and Jeffrey, 1906) Mays and Cantrill, 2018

Type: Protodammara speciosa Hollick and Jeffrey, 1906 ; Raritan Formation , Turonian ?, Upper Cretaceous ; Kreischerville, Staten Island, New York, USA .

Protodammara sp.

Figs. 2C, 5D, F.

Material.—Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0249, 2018/0078.

Description.—Several ovuliferous cone scales on a bedding plane. Each cone scale 10–12 mm broad and 10–15 mm long, peltate, with resin ducts, 7–9 per cone scale. Head of each scale roundish, adaxially bearing 7–9 scar-like structures.

Remarks.—In the studied material no seed is attached to the cone scale, so it is not clear whether the scar-like structures are genuine seed attachment scars or only ridges of the cone scale surface. Similar isolated cone scales from the Bohemian Cenomanian were reported by Velenovský (1885) as Dammara borealis Heer, 1882 (JK, unpublished data). Morphology of the cone scales, particularly the arrangement of resin ducts, resembles that in the genus Doliostrobus Marion, 1884 ( Bůžek et al. 1968; Kvaček 1971), a member of the family Doliostrobaceae Kvaček, 2002 . The present material differs from Doliostrobus in lacking an apical spiny process.

Family unknown

Genus Geinitzia ( Endlicher, 1847) Harris, 1979

Type: Geinitzia reichenbachii (Geinitz, 1842) Hollick and Jeffrey, 1909 ≡ Araucarites reichenbachii Geinitz, 1842 ; Cretaceous, Saxony, Germany.

Geinitzia reichenbachii (Geinitz, 1842) Hollick and Jeffrey, 1909

Fig. 5A–C.

1842 Araucarites reichenbachii ; Geinitz 1842: 98. pl. 24: 4.

1909 Geinitzia reichenbachii ; Hollick and Jeffrey 1909: 38; pl. 5: 7–10, pl. 8: 3, 4, pl. 16: 2–4; pl. 17: 1–4, pl. 18: 1–4.

2009 Geinitzia reichenbachii (Geinitz 1842) Hollick et Jeffrey 1909 ; Bosma et al. 2009: 489–490, figs. 3D, 4G, H [ubi syn.]

2018 Geinitzia reichenbachii (Geinitz, 1842) Hollick et Jeffrey 1909 ; Halamski et al. 2018a: 128; pl. 2: 6, 9.

Material.—Lwówek Śląski, Assemblage 1, Turonian: MB.Pb. 2018/0028 (Lettengrube bei Löwenberg, Slg. Dresler 1909, Turonmergel 29. Juli 1898). Huzarski Skok, Assemblage 4, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2018/0064. Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 4, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0240, 0252, 0254. Ołdrzychów, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb. 2008/0265–0267, 2018/0024.1–3, 0025.1–2; MGUWr 5638p, 5615p; MMG PnK 36, 37. Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0239, 0241

coll. Dresler?), 0242 (coll.Schäfer), 0246 (coll.Dresler 1909), 0248, 0253, 0363, 2018/0069.1–10, 2018/0070.3–4, 0071.1– 12, 0073.1–31, 0074.1–6, 0075.1–20. Żeliszów, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0251a; Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?–lower Santonian?: MB.Pb. 2008/0316, 317 (coll. Klotzsch). Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 6, lower–middle Santonian: MB.Pb.2008/0244. Włodzice, Assemblage 6, lower–middle Santonian: MGUWr 5594p, 5649p. Bolesławiec, Assemblage 8, lower–middle Santonian: MB.Pb.2018/0049. Luisenhain, Assemblage 8, lower–middle Santonian: MB.Pb.2018/0043, 0044. Dobra, Assemblage 8, lower–middle Santonian: MGUWr 5614p. Uncertain locality, Assemblage 8, lower–middle Santonian: MB.Pb.2018/0042.

Description.—The available material consists of numerous twig fragments ca. 1 mm thick and up to ca. 5 cm in length (Fig. 5C), but usually shorter. Leaves helically arranged, spreading from axes at an angle of 20–40°, basally not con- tracted, falcate, up to 13 mm long (Fig. 5B), with acute apices.

Remarks.— Geinitzia reichenbachii is one of the most common conifers in the Upper Cretaceous of Europe, possibly representing more than one biological species. In the studied material it is the most abundant taxon in terms of the number of specimens and is present in the Turonian, Coniacian, and Santonian. In adjacent areas it is known from the Turonian of Silesia ( Roemer 1886; Płachno et al. 2018), Coniacian of the Kłodzko region and Bohemia ( Halamski and Kvaček 2015, 2016; Halamski et al. 2018a), Campanian of Grünbach in Austria ( Herman and Kvaček 2010), and Campanian and Maastrichtian of eastern Poland and western Ukraine (Halamski 2013; see also Kunzmann 2010).

Stratigraphic and geographic range.—Late Cretaceous; Europe, North America.

Geinitzia cf. formosa Heer, 1871 Fig. 5E.

Material.—RakowiceMałe,Assemblage5,upperConiacian?– lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0245 (coll. W. Zimmer 1912), MB.Pb.2008/0247 (coll. W. Zimmer 1919), MB.Pb.2008/0250 (coll. W. Zimmer 1911), MB.Pb.2018/0070.1–2.

Description.—The available material consists of longitudi- nal sections of female cones appearing on broken rock slabs.

Ovuliferous cones incompletely preserved, subcylindri- cal in shape, in the best preserved specimen (Fig. 5D) width ca. 13 mm, preserved length ca. 25 mm. Cone scales arranged helically, of conical shape. Seeds not observed.

Remarks.—The described ovuliferous cones are similar in architecture and shape to Geinitzia formosa described from the Santonian of Quedlinburg ( Kunzmann 1999). The diagnosis of G. formosa includes seed shape, a character that cannot be checked in the studied material, hence open nomenclature is applied. Geinitzia schlotheimii Heer, 1871 , from the Santonian of Aachen has ovoid (less elongate) cones ( Kunzmann et al. 2003) and peltate to truncate scales ( Halamski and Kvaček 2015). Fricia nobilis Velenovský, 1885 , from the Turonian of Bohemia has larger ovoid cones ( Kvaček 2013a).

Division Angiospermae BrDXQ and Doell H [ Doell, 1857

Class Dicotyledoneae de Candolle, 1817 Supersubclass Eudicotyledoneae Doyle and Hotton ex Halamski, 2013

Subclass Ranunculidae Takhtajan ex Reveal, 1992 emend. nov.

Remarks.—The paraphyletic group of eudicots consisting of the Ranunculales , Proteales (incl. Platanales), and Buxales is usually referred to by various informal names, for example “non-core eudicots”. An available name under the ICN is the subclass Ranunculidae Takhtajan ex Reveal, 1992.

Order Proteales Jussieu ex Berchtold and Presl, 1820

Family Platanaceae Lestiboudois, 1826

Genus Platananthus Manchester, 1986

Type: Platananthus synandrus Manchester, 1986, middle– upper Eocene , Oregon, USA .

Platananthus sp.

Fig. 6 .

Material.—Żerkowice, Assemblage 5, upper Coniacian?– lower Santonian?: MB.Pb.2008/0251a.

Description.—Globular reproductive structure 10× 12 mm consisting of radially arranged units interpreted here as staminate flowers ca. 5 mm long, with well-developed tepals, each up to 1.5 mm in width. Stamens are poorly preserved.

Remarks.—In shape and size the described specimen resembles isolated reproductive units from the Bohemian Cenomanian described as Platanathus sp. (Kvaček 2003). Knobloch and Mai (1986, 1991) described male and female reproductive structures of Platanus richteri Knobloch and Mai, 1986 , from the Santonian of Quedlinburg, Saxony-Anhalt, Germany, both of which are, however, significantly smaller than the studied material.

Figures

Fig. 4. Late Coniacian?–early Santonian? ferns from the North Sudetic Basin, Lower Silesia, Poland. A. Cladophlebis? sp. 2, fragment of a pinna MGUWr 7556p, Żeliszów, Assemblage 5. B. Cladophlebis sp. 1, fragment of a pinna MB.Pb.2018/0067, Rakowice Małe, Assemblage 5. C. Coniopteris? sp., frag- ment of a pinna MB.Pb.2018/0006 (rachis arrowed), Rakowice Małe,Assemblage 5. D–G. Konijnenburgia cf. galleyi (Miner, 1935) Kvaček and Dašková, 2010, Assemblage 4. D. Fragment of a pinna MB.Pb.2018/0062, Rakowice Małe. E. Accumulation of isolated pinnules MB.Pb.2008/373.2a (E1) and enlargement of a pinnule with sori (E2), Żerkowice. F. Two isolated pinnules MB.Pb.2008/373.1 (F1) and enlargement of the longest pinnule in the studied material with sori (F2), Żerkowice. G. Fragment of a pinna MB.Pb.2008/373.2b, Żerkowice.

Fig. 6. Platanoid inflorescence Platananthus sp. from Żerkowice, North Sudetic Basin, Lower Silesia, Poland Assemblage 5 (upper Coniacian?– lower Santonian?). MB.Pb.2008/251a co-occurring with a Geinitzia twig (bottom left).