Morphotaxonomy of Heterophyllous Lycopsid shoot from the Rajmahal Hills, India

Abstract

Morphology of the herbaceous lycopsid shoot occurring commonly in several localities of Rajmahal Hills, India has been studied. In earlier records, the fossil was figured as Araucarites(?) gracilis. Later, it was described as Cheirolepis gracilis and thereafter as Lycopodites gracilis. However, the present study reveals that the form of the shoot is precisely like that of a creeping Selaginella having two dorsal and two ventral ranks of microphyllous leaves. Therefore, it is being described here as Selaginellites gracilis.