The Systematic Position of Eoginkgoites
Ash SR. 1976. The Systematic Position of Eoginkgoites. American Journal of Botany. 63(10):1327-1331
Eoginkgoites is a fan-shaped, imparipinnate leaf with a short rachis and long petiole. It was first described from the Upper Triassic Newark Group of Pennsylvania by Bock who assigned the fossil to the Ginkgoales. The fossil has also been found in the Upper Triassic Chinle Formation in Utah and Arizona and in the Newark Group in North Carolina. Investigation of the well-preserved specimens found in the Chinle Formation shows that the leaf has anastomosing venation, a marginal vein and paracytic (syndetocheilic) stomata. These characters indicate that the leaf is bennettitalean and Eoginkgoites is reassigned to the Bennettitales although its shape is perplexing. Eoginkgoites may be an important index fossil to the lower Upper Triassic (middle Carnian) rocks of North America.
- Type
- Journal Article
- Authors
- Ash, Sidney
- Units
- PEFO
- Keywords
- PALEOBIB, Paleobotany, Paleontology