The sporophyte of the Paleogene liverwort &lt;i&gt;Frullania varians&lt;/i&gt; Caspary

J Heinrichs,M Von Konrat,H Grabenhorst,A R Schmidt

doi:10.5194/fr-15-115-2012

Abstract

We document the sporophyte of the extinct <i>Frullania varians</i> based on an inclusion in Late Oligocene Bitterfeld amber from Germany. The sporophyte consists of a short, ca. 45 µm thick seta that exceeds the perianth only slightly; the elongate-ovate, acute valves of the opened capsule are about 225 µm long, curved backwards and consist of an epidermal and an internal layer. Cell walls of both layers possess nodulose trigones. Several trumpet-shaped, unispiral elaters are fixed to the upper third of the internal valve layer. They have a length of ca. 150 µm and a diameter of 15–18 µm. A subglobose structure of 19 µm diameter is interpreted as a degraded spore. Fossil elaters and spores as well as capsule wall details of Frullaniaceae are described for the first time. <br><br> doi:<a href="http://dx.doi.org/10.1002/mmng.201200009" target="_blank">10.1002/mmng.201200009</a>

Highlights

Numerous inclusions of leafy liverworts (Jungermanniidae) have been recognized in Eocene Baltic and Late Oligocene Bitterfeld amber but well preserved sporophytes are exceedingly rare (Grolle & Meister 2004; see Standke 1998; Blumenstengel 2004; and Standke 2008 for stratigraphic assignments of the amber deposits)
We document the sporophyte of the extinct Frullania varians based on an inclusion in Late Oligocene Bitterfeld amber from Germany
Fossil elaters and spores as well as capsule wall details of Frullaniaceae are described for the first time

Summary

Introduction

Numerous inclusions of leafy liverworts (Jungermanniidae) have been recognized in Eocene Baltic and Late Oligocene Bitterfeld amber but well preserved sporophytes are exceedingly rare (Grolle & Meister 2004; see Standke 1998; Blumenstengel 2004; and Standke 2008 for stratigraphic assignments of the amber deposits). Liverwort sporophytes are delicate structures with fragile setae, and many extant species produce them only infrequently. Their infrequent occurrence and short lifetime may explain their rarity in the liverwort fossil record. Fossil sporophytes have so far been recognized only in the Eocene species Frullania baltica Grolle, 1985 (Grolle 1998) and F. schumannii (Casp.) Grolle, 1981 (Grolle & Meister 2004). Their state of preservation only allowed for appraisals of their dimensions; details of the wall struc-. The newly described Frullania varians sporophyte allows for a description of elaters, spores, and some details of the capsule wall

Material and methods

Results

Discussion