Morphology, anatomy, and upland ecology of giant cordaitalean trees from the Middle Pennsylvanian of Newfoundland

TY - JOUR

T1 - Morphology, anatomy, and upland ecology of giant cordaitalean trees from the Middle Pennsylvanian of Newfoundland

AU - Falcon-Lang, Howard J

AU - Bashforth, Arden Roy

PY - 2005

Y1 - 2005

N2 - We describe the morphology and anatomy of large cordaitalean trees, preserved in Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian) alluvialdeposits in southwest Newfoundland. Remains include more than one hundred calcite-permineralized stumps, trunks, and branches, including the largest cordaitalean trunk ever discovered, as well as common adpressed leaves. Reproductive organs are not preserved. We propose a sterile reconstruction of this tree based on directly attached organs and anatomical similarities between isolated, but facies-associated, organs. At V 48.5 m high, mature cordaitaleans were the tallest trees in the Pennsylvanian tropical zone, and consisted of a straight, unbranched trunk topped by a dark, shading canopy, similar in gross morphology to extant araucarian conifers. A comprehensive review of the taphonomic occurrences of these large cordaitalean remains suggests that they grew in alluvial fan and extrabasinal terrains across Euramerica, and represent the earliest widespread upland forests.

AB - We describe the morphology and anatomy of large cordaitalean trees, preserved in Pennsylvanian (Bolsovian) alluvialdeposits in southwest Newfoundland. Remains include more than one hundred calcite-permineralized stumps, trunks, and branches, including the largest cordaitalean trunk ever discovered, as well as common adpressed leaves. Reproductive organs are not preserved. We propose a sterile reconstruction of this tree based on directly attached organs and anatomical similarities between isolated, but facies-associated, organs. At V 48.5 m high, mature cordaitaleans were the tallest trees in the Pennsylvanian tropical zone, and consisted of a straight, unbranched trunk topped by a dark, shading canopy, similar in gross morphology to extant araucarian conifers. A comprehensive review of the taphonomic occurrences of these large cordaitalean remains suggests that they grew in alluvial fan and extrabasinal terrains across Euramerica, and represent the earliest widespread upland forests.

M3 - Journal article

SN - 0034-6667

VL - 135

SP - 223

EP - 243

JO - Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology

JF - Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology

IS - 3-4

ER -