Araripia florifera, a magnoliid angiosperm from the Lower Cretaceous Crato Formation (Brazil)

Abstract

The Lower Cretaceous (Aptian or possibly Albian) Crato Formation of Brazil contains a variety of angiosperm impression fossils, mainly detached leaves, but also remains with various parts in organic connection. Among these more complete fossils are axes with attached leaves and sometimes also with reproductive structures. Araripia florifera gen. et sp. nov. is about 7.5 cm long and has several leaves, and six (seven?) flower buds attached to the axis. The leaves are lobed with a pinnate primary, an actinodromous secondary venation and a relatively weekly developed higher order vein configuration, typical of Early Cretaceous angiosperm leaves. Four (five?) of the flower buds are in an early developmental stage, whereas two buds are more mature. The flowers are multipartite with a deep floral cup. In floral and leaf characters the fossil shows similarities to some extant members of the Laurales. However, the character combination observed for the fossil is not found in any extant taxon, and the fossil may represent an extinct lineage within or close to the Laurales.