New reconstruction of Weichselia reticulata (Stokes et Webb) Fontaine in Ward emend. Alvin, 1971 based on fertile remains from the middle Albian of Spain

Abstract

Exceptionally well-preserved specimens from the middle Albian of Spain corresponding to a nearly complete fertile frond and fragments of pinnae containing soral clusters of the tree fern Weichselia reticulata have provided new data about the structure and arrangement of pinnae and their associated fertile reproductive structure. This new material has been compared with the previous studies, and recostructions of this fern and the new data indicate the segregation of vegetative and fertile fronds within the main stipe of this fern.

Keywords::

• Weichselia reticulata
• fertile frond
• middle Albian
• Escucha Formation
• Spain

Acknowledgements

The authors thank José María Abad and María del Carmen Buendía who found the complete fertile frond specimen and José Royo Lasarte for his help in the transportation work of this fossil plant. We also thank the General Management of Cultural Heritage of the Government of Aragón region for permissions of fieldworks. The authors thank Dr. Zarela Herrera for photographs of Figure 3. The authors also thank the comments of the anonymous reviewer that have notably improved this manuscript. This article is a contribution to project CGL2011-27869/BTE of the ‘Ministerio de Ciencia e Innovación’ of the Spanish Government.