Abstract
In this paper we describe a fossil fungus–Paleoblastocladia milleri gen. et sp. nov.–from the 400 million‐year‐old Early Devonian Rhynie chert that shares numerous features with modern zoosporic fungi placed in the order Blastocladiales. The fungus occurs in tufts that arise from stomata or between the cuticle and epidermis of Aglaophyton major axes. Thallus development begins from an irregular bipolar basal cell that produces a system of intramatrical rhizoids and clavate‐shaped extramatrical, nonseptate hyphae. These hyphae develop into two types of mature thalli. Sporothalli are characterized by several orders of dichotomous branching and the production of terminal, globose zoosporangia, as well as thick‐walled, pitted resting sporangia. On separate dichotomously branched thalli (gametothalli) are terminal chains of two or three gametangia, in which the terminal one is slightly larger. Despite the fact that all of the reproductive organs contain either zoospores or gametes, none show evidence of discharge papillae. The fossil fungus is compared with extant members of the Blastocladiales, and the presence of sexual reproduction is discussed.
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