Plant mesofossils from the Late Cretaceous Klikov Formation, the Czech Republic

Abstract

Late Cretaceous mesofossils are described from the Zliv-Řídká Blana locality in the South Bohemian Basins, the Czech Republic. Angiosperm remains dominate the fossil assemblage both in terms of taxonomic diversity and quantitatively, with about 65 different species based on about 1,000 specimens of flowers, fruits and seeds. There are surprisingly few nonangiosperm species in the flora, with only four specimens assigned to bryophytes, ferns and conifers. There are no megaspores of Selaginellales or Salviniales, which are otherwise common in many Cretaceous mesofossil floras. Among angiosperms, flowers and fruits assigned to the Normapolles group (Fagales) and to the Ericales are particularly prominent. In systematic composition as well as general organization and size of the angiosperm reproductive organs, the Zliv-Řídká Blana mesofossil flora is comparable to other Late Cretaceous mesofossil floras collected from various regions of Laurasia. In addition to the plant remains, the fossil assemblage also includes insect eggs and coprolites.