Pazliopsis sp., E. M. FRIIS, P. R. CRANE et K. R. PEDERSEN, 2018

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 : 403

Pazliopsis sp.

Text-fig. 48g, h

Description and remarks. The material comprises several small, isolated, bilaterally symmetrical seeds that are about 0.85 mm long, and 0.75 mm broad in the dorsi-ventral direction ( Text-fig. 48g ). The seeds are anatropous and bitegmic. They are elliptical to almost circular in outline, rounded at the chalazal end and truncate at the micropylar end. The hilar scar is almost circular in outline and lacks a hilar rim. The outer epidermis of the outer integument consists of palisade-shaped cells with thickened wavy anticlinal walls that result in a jigsaw-puzzle like surface pattern ( Text-fig. 48h ). The inner integument is membranous.

Affinity and other occurrences. The seeds described here closely resemble seeds of Pazliopsis reyi E. M. FRIIS, P. R. CRANE et K. R.PEDERSEN from the Torres Vedras mesofossil flora in shape, surface ornamentation and seed coat anatomy ( Friis et al. 2018c, 2019a). However, the seeds from Catefica are larger and the hilar scar is not as pronounced as in the seeds from Torres Vedras. The Catefica seeds are also circular rather than elongate-ovate. Pazliopsis reyi is thought to be related to members of extant Austrobaileyales and Nymphaeales (Friis at al. 2018c).

Figures

Text-fig. 48. Scanning electron microscope (SEM, a, b, d–i) and synchrotron radiation X-ray tomographic microscopy (SRXTM, c) images of “One-seeded fruit sp. 2” (a–c), “Unassigned, unnamed fruits” (d–f), Pazliopsis sp. (g, h) and “Follicular fruit with exotestal seeds” (i); Catefica locality, Portugal. a) Lateral view of fruit showing remains of tepals (te) and a single stamen (st); b) Detail of fruit surface showing short, scale-like, peltate trichomes (arrows); c) Transverse section (orthoslice xy0475) of fruit containing a single seed showing tepals (te) and fruit surface with peltate trichomes (arrow); note partial preservation of internal nutritive tissue; d) Fruit in lateral view showing the almost smooth epidermis with scattered openings; e) Detail of fruit surface from (d) showing the scattered openings in the epidermis interpreted as burst secretory cells (arrows); f) Dorsi-ventral view of tiny fruit with an irregular surface; g) Lateral view of exotestal seed assigned to cf. Pazliopsis sp.; h) Detail of fruit surface of seed in (g) showing faint facets of outer palisade layer with fine jigsaw-puzzle outlines of the anticlinal walls; i) Lateral view of fragmentary follicular fruit showing two exposed exotestal seeds. Specimens, Catefica 153-S174314 (a–c), Catefica 50-S170420 (d, e), Catefica 152-S174300 (f), Catefica 49-S172319 (g, h), Catefica MM158-P0272 (i). Scale bars = 300 Μm (a, c, d, f, g, i), 100 Μm (e), 50 Μm (b, h).