TY - JOUR
T1 - The Princeton chert
T2 - Evidence for in situ aquatic plants
AU - Cevallos-Ferriz, Sergio R S
AU - Stockey, Ruth A.
AU - Pigg, Kathleen
N1 - Funding Information:
This work was supportedin part by NSERCC (NaturaSl cienceas ndE ngineerinRge searcCh oun-cil of Canada)g rantA 6908to RAS, NSF-NATO PostdoctoraFle llowshipR CD-885474to KBP and NSF grantB SR-8614588to KBP. We thankC on-sejo Nacional de Ciencia y Tecnologia( CONA-CYT) of Mexico for financiasl upportt o SRSCF. We would also like to thank Dr. M.V.H. Wilson, Universityo f Alberta,f or the photograpohf the soft-shelletdu rtle( PlateI , 1) and his criticalr ead-ing of an earlyd raftof the manuscripatn dDiane M. Erwin, Universityo f Alberta, for supplying photographosf fossil monocots(P lateI , 5, 6, 7; PlateI I, 5). This studyr epresentisn part research initiatedb y SRSCF in partial fulfillmento f the requiremenftosr the degreeo f Doctor of Philosophy, Departmenotf BotanyU, niversityo f Alberta.
PY - 1991/9/13
Y1 - 1991/9/13
N2 - The Middle Eocene Princeton chert from southern British Columbia represents one of the richest known assemblages of permineralized Tertiary plants. Affinities with modern aquatic angiosperms, anatomical modifications for the aquatic habit and associated fresh water faunal elements support the interpretation of some components of the Princeton chert as in situ aquatic plants. Among these are fossil plants with affinities to the extent Nymphaeaceae (Allenbya), Araceae (Keratosperma), Alismataceae (Heleophyton), Cyperaceae/Juncaceae (Ethela) and Lythraceae (Decodon). Anatomical modifications include aerenchyma in vegetative tissues (Eorhiza, Dennstaedtiopsis, Heleophyton and Uhlia), the thin-walled tracheary elements without prominent secondary wall thickenings and the presence of protoxylem lacunae surrounded by a ring of cells with thickened inner walls (Heleophyton). Seeds that share morphological features with extant aquatics are characterized by a palisade layer, operculum, external mucilage, small amounts of endosperm and abundant perisperm. Associated faunal elements include turtle bones in the peat matrix and freshwater fish at the top of the section. In situ preservation of these aquatic forms is supported by the presence of rooted axes, the large number of plant organs of the same type and preservation of complete flowers, delicate tissues and organic connections allowing for whole plant reconstruction.
AB - The Middle Eocene Princeton chert from southern British Columbia represents one of the richest known assemblages of permineralized Tertiary plants. Affinities with modern aquatic angiosperms, anatomical modifications for the aquatic habit and associated fresh water faunal elements support the interpretation of some components of the Princeton chert as in situ aquatic plants. Among these are fossil plants with affinities to the extent Nymphaeaceae (Allenbya), Araceae (Keratosperma), Alismataceae (Heleophyton), Cyperaceae/Juncaceae (Ethela) and Lythraceae (Decodon). Anatomical modifications include aerenchyma in vegetative tissues (Eorhiza, Dennstaedtiopsis, Heleophyton and Uhlia), the thin-walled tracheary elements without prominent secondary wall thickenings and the presence of protoxylem lacunae surrounded by a ring of cells with thickened inner walls (Heleophyton). Seeds that share morphological features with extant aquatics are characterized by a palisade layer, operculum, external mucilage, small amounts of endosperm and abundant perisperm. Associated faunal elements include turtle bones in the peat matrix and freshwater fish at the top of the section. In situ preservation of these aquatic forms is supported by the presence of rooted axes, the large number of plant organs of the same type and preservation of complete flowers, delicate tissues and organic connections allowing for whole plant reconstruction.
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U2 - 10.1016/0034-6667(91)90085-H
DO - 10.1016/0034-6667(91)90085-H
M3 - Article
AN - SCOPUS:0026305268
SN - 0034-6667
VL - 70
SP - 173
EP - 185
JO - Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
JF - Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology
IS - 1-2
ER -