Paleozoic in situ spores and pollen. Sphenopsida

Abstract

The paper reports records of in situ spores of Paleozoic sphenopsids totalling 25 genera with 113 species. These reproductive organs yielded in situ spores belonging to 15 spore genera (one megaspore and 34 miospore species). All descriptions of in situ spores have been modified employing current terminology for the description of Paleozoic spores. Paleozoic sphenopsid spores can be divided into two groups, the first, calamitalean group is represented by the Calamospora and Elaterites types which are morphologically simple and, therefore, it is not possible to assign them to their parent megafloral taxon based on dispersed record. The second heterogeneous group is made up of sphenophyllalean microspores consisting of seven morphologically different monolete, trilete, cavate operculate forms with or without perispore.