On Sporogonites Halle: A morphologic, taxonomic and phylogenetic appraisal

D.C. Bharadwaj

doi:10.54991/jop.1981.1396

Authors

D.C. Bharadwaj Birbal Sahni Institute of Palaeobotany, 53, University Road, Lucknow 226007, India

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.54991/jop.1981.1396

Keywords:

Bryophyte, Sporogonites, Morphology, Taxonomy, Phylogeny, Lower Devonian

Abstract

All the information regarding Sporogonites Halle, available from descriptions and illustrations by various authors has been analyzed, evaluated, and synthesized to arrive at a composite picture of the plant. It has been concluded that Sporogonites is the earliest known bryophyte which had a hygrophyllous, liverwort-like, gametophytic (?) thallus bearing a large number of sporophytic (?) stalks (setae) terminating into obovoid or clavate capsules with an upper, continuous, spore-containing part and a lower, sterile, photosynthetic portion. The structure and organization of the capsule combine features of the two primitive subclasses of Musci but without columella. The presence of lignified vascular tissue in the stalk or the thallus has not been substantiated. An emended diagnosis and a reconstruction based upon the synthesized information have been given for the genus.

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References

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