A Middle Jurassic flora from the Walloon Coal Measures, Mutdapilly, Queensland, Australia

16 Pages·1995·1.4 MB·

by  Stephen Mcloughlin

A MIDDLEJURASSICFLORA FROM THEWALLOONCOALMEASURES.
MUTDAPILLY,QUEENSLAND,AUSTRALIA
STEPHENMcLOUGHLINANDANDREWN. DRINNAN
McLoughhn, S. & Drinnan, A. N. 1995 0601: A Middle Jurassic florafrom the Walloon
Coal Measures, Mutdapilly, Queensland, Australia, Memoirs ofthe Queensland Museum
3S(1): 257-272.JSSN0079-8835
AMiddleJurassicimpressionflorafromtheWalloonCoalMeasuresnearMutdapillyinthe
Clarenee-Moreton Basin, Queensland,comprisesoneequisetalean species, fourspeciesof
ferns,andonespecieseach ofpentoxylalean, probableconifer,andpossiblebennettiulrnn
foliage-TheassemblagealsocontainsatargenumberofPalissyaovalisconesofuncertain
systematic affinity.The assemblageissimilartootherfossilsuites from theWalloonCoal
Measures* buthas fewerconiferandbennettitalean remains. Itis mostclosely cQomparable
to the flora of the Clenl HiDs Group (Bajocian-Bathonian) ofNew Zealand. Middle
Jurassic, fossil macroflora, Walloon Coal Measures, Clarence-Moreton Basin,
sphenophytes,pteridophytes, Pentoxyiales, conifers.
M
StephenMcLaughlinandAndrew Drinnan, Schoolof&vtonyt University ofMelbourne,
Parkville, Victoria3Q52,Australia: 10January1995.
TheMiddleJurassicfloraoftheWalloonCoal muchofthebasinandareconformablyordiscon-
Measuresis representedin coals(generally upto formably overlain by the ?Middle Jurassic to
2m thick) and interseam sediments. These coals ?Lowei Cretaceous Woodenbong Beds in the
havebeenexploitedforoveracenturyasasource southernClarenee-MoretonBasin.Thecoalmea-
of high volatile bituminous steaming coals suresaxelocallyoverlainunconformablybyTer-
(Fielding, 1993).Partialbreakdownofthefossil- tiary and Quaternary sediments and volcanics in
izedorganicmattermayalsorepresentapotential the northern part ofthe Basin (Pig. 1). The coal
source of liquid and gaseous hydrocarbons in measuresexiendintotheeasternpartoftheadja-
deeperparts ofthe Suratand Clarenee-Moreton cent Surat Basin and correlate withthe Birkbead
Basins. Several palaeobotanical studies of the Formation in the western Surat and Eromanga
WalloonCoalMeasures(notablyWalkom,1917; Basinsandwithcoal-richunits inthe neighbour-
Gould, 1974, 1980; Rigby, 1978) have estab- ing Mnlgildie (Mulgildie Coal Measures) and
lishedthegeneralcompositionoftheflora, Gould Maryborough(TiaroCoalMeasures)Basins.The
(1974)providedacomprehensivelistofprevious Walloon Coal Measures palynoflora indicates a
paJaeontological investigations ofthe coal mea- Middle Jurassic age (de Jersey, 1960; de Jersey
sures. This study is intended to illustrate and & Paten, 1964; Burger, in Exon et ah, 1974).
describea smallassemblageofpteridophytkand Turner & Rozefelds (1987) recorded specimens
gymnospermous taxa that occur as well-pre- ofan actinopterygian fisb from these strata Di-
served impressionscollectedfrom aroadcutting nosaur tracks are theonly other fossils recorded
near Mutdapilly. southwest ofIpswich, Queens- from thisunit(Bartholomai, 1966; Gould, 1974;
land. The Walloon Coal Measures flora is com- Molnar, 1991).
pared with several other Gondwanan Mcsozoic Fielding (1993) identified seven sedimentary
fossil suites and its palaeoenvironmenial im- fades and three fades associations within the
plicationsarebrieflyconsidered. Walloon Coal Measures in the Rosewood-
Walloon Coalfield. The fades associations ate
GEOLOGICALSETTING representativeofmajorchannel, floodbasin,and
mire environments within a broad alluvial plain
The Walloon Coal Measures ofthe Clarenee- depositional setting. Limited palaeocurrent data
Moreton Basin consist of interbedded suggested thatstreams in the northern Clarenee-
volcanolithicsandstone,coal,mudstone,andsilt- Moreton Basin generally drained in a southeast-
stone, reaching a maximum thickness of about erlv direction (Fielding, 1993). The Mutdapilly
250m (Exon etal. 1974; Cranfieldet aL 1976). fossil plant assemblage was recovered from a
(
They conformably and gradationaUy overlie the roadcutatgridreference692781 7465500on the
Lower Jurassic Marburg Formation (dominated Ipswich 1:100000geological map (sheet9442),
by quartzo-feldspathic sandstones) throughout (UniversityofQueenslandlocality5208)(Fig 1),
258 MEMOIRS OFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
Thecollectionsiteisnowobscuredfromviewby Comparisonand Remarks
groundcover vegetation and the Cunningham Despitetheabsenceoffertilematerialoi GUtJG-
Highway. ular detail, the described axes are assigned to
Equisetum Linnaeus rather than Equiserites
MATERIALANDMETHODS Sternberg following the conclusion of Harris
(1961) and Gould (1968) that these genera are
inseparable. The Mutdapilly specimens are
All specimens examined in this study are readily referable to E. bryanii Gould by their
housed in the paJaeontoiogical collectionsofthe smooth leafsheaths and flanged, adpressed. free
DepartmentofEarthSciences,TheUniversityof leaves with indistinctmidribs.Specimensidenti-
Queensland, andareprefixed 'UQF*.The speci- fiedasEquiscutesapproximatesHalle 1913from
mens werecollected inthelate 1980s fromroad- theraid- tolateMesozoicoftheAntarcticPenin-
works along the Cunningham Highway near sula also show adpressed flanged leaves united
Mutdapilly southwest of Ipswich, Queensland. intoa long sheath and may be synonymous with
The fossils are preserved as brown iron-stained E. bryanii. The absence ofcuticular details and
impressions in yellow-grey shale and siltstone. noda! diaphragms preserved in dorso-vemral
No organic matter is preserved, preventing as- view prevent detailed comparison to Equisetum
sessment of cuticular details. Forty-three slabs lateraleGould 1974but die lattercan be distin-
wereconsidered indetail duringthis study;addi- guishedby its moreabruptly pointedleaves.
tionalunfiguredmaterial ishousedattheUniver- The Mutdapilly specimens are morphologi-
sityofQueensland. callysimilartoextantEquisetumspeciesandthey
probably occupied a similar ecological niche to
SYSTEMATICPALAEOBOTANY
extant species.
Phylum PTERIDOPHYTA
PhylumSPHENOPHYTA
ClassFILICOPSIDA
ClassSPHENOPSIDA OrderOSMUNDALES
OrderEQUISETALES OSMUNDACEAE
Family
FamilyEQUISETACEAE
Cladophlebis Brongniart, 1828
EquisetumLinnaeus, 1753 Cladophlebisaustralis (Morris) Seward. 1904
Equisetumbryanii Gould. 1968 (Figs2C-F,3A-D,G)
(Fig.2A,B)
MaterialExamined
UQF79680, UQF79681, UQF79684, UQF79686.
MaterialExamined UQF79688-UQF79691, UQF79694, UQF79700,
UQF79683. UQF79T2S. UQF79704-UQF79706, UQF79723, UQF79729-
UQF79733, UQF79736.
Description Description
Incompletesegmentedaxesreachinginexcess Frondsat leastbipinnate (Fig. 2C.F) reaching
of125mm long, widthofflattenedaxis upto8.5 in excess of 135mm long, 160mm wide. Rachis
mm.Axismoreorlessconstantinwidththrough- reaching at least 5mm wide, tapering distally,
out with fine longitudinal stnae, partitioned by smooth or longitudinally striate. Pinnae dimor-
transverse nodes 19-24mm apart (Fig. 2B). phic(eitherfertileorvegetative). Vegetativepin-
Whorl ofelongate tooth-like flanged leaves sur- nae lanceolate or falcate reaching 90mm long,
rounds each node (Fig. 2A). Around six leaves 26mm wide, alternate to opposite (Fig. 2C,F)
t
evidentacrossstem impression (counterpartsnot catadromous,rachilladepartingrachisat3(F-65°.
available). Leavescloselyadptessed tostem,ex- Pinnules subopposite, ovate or lanceolate (Figs
tending 7-8mm distally beyond node, separated 2E; 3A,Cl and commonly arched distally (fal-
for3-4mmbelownode.Leavesfusedintoabasal cate) reaching 17mm long, 6mm wide, margin
sheathtightlyadpressedtoaxisand connectedto entire or slightly serrulate, apex pointed acute,
stem at preceding (proximal) node. Leafflanges acroscoptc margin ofpinnabaseslightlyobcurr-
continuous from baseofsheath incision to apex. enl joined with basiscopic margin of adjacent
Midribspoorlydefined.Fructificationsandcutic- pinnule base. Pinnulemidveinsdepartrachiltaat
ulardetailsunavailable. 40°-7Q°; lateral veins bifurcate once or twice
MUTDAPILLYFOSSILFLORA 259
152° 30' E 153"
27° 32
28C'S
Tertiary sediments BrisbaneTuff (M-U Trias.)
Tertiary igneous rocks Toogoolawah Group (M Trias.)
Walloon Coal Measures (M Jur.) E23 Triassicintrusives
Marburg Formation (E-M Jur.) Brookfield Volcanics (Perm.-Trias.)
Woogaroo Subgroup (Trias,-Jur.) Bunya Phylllte (?Dev.-Carb.)
k-v-vj Ipswich Coal Measures (M-LTrias.) SS3 Neranleigh-Fernvale Beds (?Dev.-Carb.)
FIG. 1. Geological map ofthe Brisbane-Boonah district, southeast Queensland, showing location ofthe fossil
localityatMutdapilly,afterCranfieldelal.(1976).
acrossthelamina.Sonorsporangiaelliptical(0.4 often flexed distally (Fig. 3D), laminasurface is
x 0.5mm), striate, borne in clusters of4-6 at the slightly undulate, margin slightly incised (inci-
ends ofveins on the abaxial surface ofmodified
sions <lmm) between lateralveins whichdonot
(fertile)pinnules (Figs2D; 3G). Fertile pinnules
equivalent in dimensions (or slightly narrower) bifurcate. Spores and cuticular details are not
and in arrangement to vegetative pinnules but availableon these specimens.
260 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
ComparisonandRemarks Cladophlebissp. A
Cladophlebis australis (Morris) Seward 1904 (Fig. 3E, F)
isoneofthemost widespreadandabundantplant
species in Australian Jurassic assemblages
MaterialExamined
(Gould, 1975).Thereisconsiderablevariationin
UQF79679.
size and shape of the pinnules amongst the
Mutdapilly specimens (Figs 2E; 3A,Q. Such
morphologicalvariantsfromindividuallocalities Description
haveoccasionallybeen assignedtoa largenum- Frondatleastpinnate,>5cmlong,2.5cmwide.
ber of species (e.g., see Halle, 1913) on inade- Rachis 1mm wide at base of preserved frond,
quatecriteria. Fronds and detached pinnae ofC. gently tapering distally. Pinnules ovate, decur-
australisaxe the mostcommon plant remains in rcnt,joinedbasally,subopposite,reaching 15mm
6mm
the Mutdapilly assemblage. It is ool clearfrom long, wide.Pinnulemarginslobed(Fig.3E,
the available material whether both fertile and F), apex rounded to pointed acute. Pinnule mid-
sterile pinnae were attached to the same fronds. ribs prominent, slightly sinuous, arched sharply
Fertile pinnae in the assemblage arc either dis- nearbase then passing along pinnule at 70°-80o,
persed individually (Figs 2D; 3D,G)orattached persistent. Pinnule venation basiscopic, lateral
lo short rachis fragments (Fig. 3B). However, veins given offalternately atc. 40°-50°dichoto-
Walkom (1917: text-fig. 1) illustrated a fertile mizeonce beforemargin,eachveinpairentering
pinna ofthis species in whichonly the proximal asinglemarginal lobe(Fig.3F).Cuticulardetails
andfructificationsunavailable.
pinnules were fertile.
Cladophlebis fronds have previously yielded
sporangiacontainingosmundaceousspores(e.g., Comparison and Remarks
Harris, 1961) and the occurrence of abundant Althoughonlyasingle incompletefrond(with
permineralizedosmundaceousaxeselsewherein counterpart) of this species is available it is
the WalloonCoalMeasures,thesimilarshapesof readily distinguished from Cladophlebis aus-
theC. australisand Osnxundacaulispetioles,and tralis by its lobed pinnules each incorporating
the clustered occurrence of some Cladophlebis twoultimateveins.Theprominenceofthelateral
fronds,strongly favoursanosmundaceousaffin- veinstogetherwithinter-veinarchingofthelam-
ity for Cladophlebis australis (Gould, 1973, ina imparts a crcnulate appearance to the pin-
1974, 1980). The fertile pinnae described here nules. These features distinguish this specimen
show strong similarities to the osmundaceous from all other cladophleboid fronds previously
fructificationCacumenexpansa Cantrill&Webb described from the Australian Mesozoic. Fertile
1987, which is probably affiliated with Phy- pinnules of C. australisarc sometimes crenulate
or irregularly lobed but they differ from
llopteroides foliage. However, the Mutdapilly Cladophlebis sp. A by their more slender and
fertile pinnulesappear to bebilaterally symmet-
falcate shape and lessdistinctvenation.
rical withranksofalternatingsporangialclusters
inserted on the abaxial surface eitherside ofthe CladophlebiskathtitwarensisRoy 1968 is (he
mostcloselycomparableIndianfernwithpointed
midrib (Figs 2D; 3D,G) in contrast to the inter- C
serrate pinnules. Although each serration on
pretation of Cacumen as bearing sporangia in kathiawarensispinnules incorporates two veins.
nraudliealparrorpaonsgeedmbeyntCaanbtoruitllar&edWuecbedbst(a1l9k8-7l)i.keSpiimn-- sthhearmpalyrgpionianltecdu,sapnsdanroetsatsrodnegelpylyinicnlciinseedd,amsotrhee
itar sporangial arrangements to those suggested pinnule lobes on Cladophlebis sp. A. Herbsl
for the Mutdapilly fronds are evident on (1971) reviewed the Argentinian species of
cLadophleboid pinnae from the Australian and Cladophlebisandnoted thatonly C. mendozaen-
South AfricanTriassic (Walkom, 1917, text-fig. sis(Geinitz) Frenguelli possesseddissected pin
1; Anderson & Anderson, 1983, pi. 5, tig. 4; pi. nule marginsthataregently undulateratherthan
6, figs4,5). distinctly lobed.
FIG.2.A,BfEquiseiumbryaniiGould, 1968,showingsheathsofpartlyfusedlanceolateleavesaroundeachnode.
l!QF79683, A x3,B x 1. C-F: Cladophlebisaustralis(Morris)Seward 1904.C, bipmnatcfrondwithalternate
pinnae, UQF79681, x0.5. D, fertile pinna. UQF79728,x 1. E, sterilepinna showing variation in pinnulesize,
UQF7973Z x 1.5.F,blpinnatefrondwithoppositetosub-oppositepinnae, UQF79700,x I.
MUTDAPILLYFOSSILFLORA 261
262 MEMOIRS OFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
MUTDAPILLY FOSSILFLORA 263
OrderFILICALES ComparisonandRemarks
FamilyDIPTERIDACEAE Mutdapilly fronds vary in size butshowacon-
sistendy bi-lobed reniform shape. 'Hie relatively
HausmanniaDunker, 1846 thick petiole attached to one specimen is also a
featurethai maybetaxonomically important
Hausmanniasp. cf. H, deferrariisii
Herbst(1979)reviewedthepreviouslydescribed
Feruglio, 1937
and illustrated Australian specimens of
(Fig.4A-D)
Hausmanniaandconcludedthatthreespecies(viz.,
H, wiikinsii Walkora, H. sp. cf. //. defarrariisii
cf. Hausmannia Buchti(?)(Andrae), Walkom, 1917: Feruglio. and H. bulbaformis Douglas) remained
11; text-fig,4, valid. Hausmannia bulbqformis, established for
Hausmannia (Protarhipis) *p. Hill, PIavford. &. twospecimensfromtheVictorianEarlyCretaceous
Woods, 1966; pi JI.fig.9. (Douglas, 1969),differsfromthematerialdescribed
Hausmannia sp. cf. H. (Prvtorhipis) deferrariisii here by its more flabellate rather than reniform
Feruglio,Gould, 1974:35(nofigs). shapeand its moredissectedmargin. Hausmannia
Hausmannia(Protarhipis)sp. cf. H. {P.)deferrariisii wiikinsiican also be differentiated bv its strongly
Feniglio, Herbst 1979: 18, figs. 4.12, 4.13. 6.13, dissected fronds (Walkom, 1928. Hertat, 1979)
6.14; nonfig. 1.6:Gould, 1980: 93. figs6, 15. Herbst (1979) included both Middle Jurassic and
Early Cretaceous formswithin Hausmanniasp. cf
H. defarrariisii However, the Early Cretaceous
MaterialExamined
fronds from Western Australia and ibe Northern
UQF79672-UQF79677, UQF79687, UQF79692.
UQF79693. TerritoryillustratedbyWhite(1961a, 1961b, 1966),
nowsupplementedby beUermaterialhousedinthe
Western AustralianMuseum, do not show the au-
DfcscRirriON riculate base characteristic of the Queensland
Fronds broadly reniform (auriculate) with a Jurassic representatives ofthis species and should
medial distal notch, auricles sometimes nearly betransferred toaseparatespecies.
touching (though neverfused) togive abi-lobed HausmanniapapilioFcruglio from Argentina
circular to peltate appearance to the frond (Fig. typicallyhasatruncate base(Longobuccoet al..
4B-D). Petiole (rachis) attachment in centre of 1985), but some examples illustrated by Hteffesl
frond lamina. Lamina reaching 1 17mm wide, (1960)havearoundedauriculatebasenotdissim-
45mm from distal margin to petiole insertion, ilartotheMutdapilly specimens. Fertilematerial
31mm frompetiole insertion toproximal margin is not available in the Queensland assemblage
ofauricles.Distal medialcleftupto 15mmdeep. preventing closercomparison totheArgentinian
Laminasymmetricalabouttheplanefrompetiole forms. Hausmannia cf. nariwaensis Oishi from
insertion to distal cleft. Petiole >17mm long, the Hope and Botany Bay floras (Rees, 1993)of
reaching at least 3 mm wide at connection with the Antarctic Peninsula differs from the
lamina.Petiolemidveinbifurcatesatbaseoflam- Mutdapilly species by its greater lengthrwidth
magivingoffaveintoeachhalfoflamina Each ratioandmoreprominentlycrenulatemargins.
daughter vein then bifurcates up to seven times HausmanniapachydermaSukh-Dev 1971 and
across lamina producing a radial array oftuning specimens assigned to Hausmannia crenata
fork shaped principal veins which evanesce 2- (Nathorst)MbllerfromIndia(Bose& Sah. 1968)
5mm from margin (Fig. 4AJ)). At least three do not show the strongly auriculate base or the
funherordersofsubsidiaryveinsdividetheinter- deep apical cleft of the Mutdapilly specimens.
veninglaminaintopolygonalmeshes.Apartfrom The Indi;m H crookskankiShah& Singh 1964 is
medialdistalcleft,laminamarginentireorgently similar in shape to H. sp. cf. //. defarrariisii but
undulate with short (<2mm) notches between differs in being substantially smaller with fewer
principal vein groups(Fig.4A,D).Marginal vein principal veins which do not bifurcate as often
present<0.2mmwide. acrossthe lamina.
FIG.3.A-D,G.Cladophiebisaustralis(Morris)Seward, 1904.A.pinnashowingdetailsofvenation,UQF79731,
\ 1.5. B, Two fertile pinnae attached to thick rachis, UQF79690, s 2. C sterile pinna with entire-margined
pinnules, UQF7969I. x i.5. D, fertile pinna with flexedpinnules, UQF79704,x 2. G, portionoffertile pinna,
UQF79686, x 4 E.F, Oadophirbis sp. A, showing pinnules wsih lobed margins. LTQF79679, E x 1, F
(counterpart) x 2. H,Sphenopterissp., UQF79699, x 1.5.
264 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLANDMUSEUM
FIG. 4. A-D, Hausmannia sp. cf. H. deferrariisii Feruglio, 1937. A, half frond showing venation details,
UQF79672, x 2. B, UQF79673, x 1. C, UQF79674, x I. D, large reniform frond, UQF79687, x 1. E,F,
Taeniopterissp. cf. T. spatulata McClelland, 1850. E, maltedexamples ofvery slenderleaves, UQF79707, x
1. F,broadleafshowingvenation details, UQF79721fx2.
MUTDAPILLYFOSSILFLORA 265
INCERTAESEDIS INCERTAESEDIS
OrderPENTOXYLALES
FamilyPENTOXYLACEAE
Sphenopteris(Brongniart) Sternberg, 1825
Sphenopterissp. TaeniopterisBrongniart, 1828
(Fig. 3H)
Taeniopteris sp. cf.T. spatulafa
McClelland, 1850
(Figs.4EF,5AJB)
MaterialExamined t
UQF79699.
MaterialExamined
UQF79707-UQF79710, UQF79715-UQF79721,
UQF79724,UQF79726.
Description
Frondatleastbipinnate,rachisimpressionwith
Description
centralridge flankedby thin (<0.5mm) marginal
flanges. Pinnae incomplete (>20mm long, 9mm Leaveshighlyvariableinsizeandshape,spath-
wide), catadromous, opposite to subopposite, ulate(Figs4F;5A,B)tolinear(Fig.4E),reaching
probably ovate to elliptical. Pinnae rachilla de- 124mmlong, 13mmwide,laminaentire,arrange-
partrachisat55°-70°.Pinnulesovatetoelliptical, ment on stem uncertain. Lamina very gently ta-
alternate, decurrent, reaching 9mm long, 3mm peringtowardsbase,apexroundedacute. Midrib
wide, dissected <20% into rounded distal lobes stout,reaching2mmwideatbase,taperinggently
each with an ultimate vein (Fig. 3H). Midvein towards apex, persistent, longitudinally striate.
sinuous, undergoing unequal dichotomies 3-4 Secondary veins depart midrib at 80°-90°, typi-
times along pinnule. Pinnule midrib departs ra- callybifurcatingimmediatelyonleavingthemid-
chillaat20°-40°. Fructification andcuticularde- ribthen passing straighttomargin orbifurcating
tailsunavailable. once more in outer lamina (Figs 4F; 5B). Vein
concentration 25-36 percm atmargin. Cuticular
detailsandfructifications unavailable.
Comparison andRemarks
The single available specimen (Fig. 3H) is ComparisonandRemarks
referabletoSphenopterisbecauseofitsbipinnate Taeniopterisleaves from Triassictomid-Cre-
frond anddissectedpinnules withsinuousveins. taceousAustraliandepositsshow astrongdegree
However, the scant remains prohibit confident of morphological conservatism, differing only
specific identification. Fronds attributed to Con- slightly in their average sizes and the angle of
iopteris delicamlaia (Shirley) Walkom 1917,. secondary vein departure from the midrib. Fea-
Coniopteris hymenophyUoides var australica tures such as the shape ofthe leafapex and the
Seward (Walkom, 1919), Coniopteris entiretyofthelamina margin are variablewithin
&
hymenophyUoides Brongniart (Walkom, 1921) populations(Drinnan Chambers, 1985)andare
and Coniopteris sp. (Hill et aL 1966) probably probably not useful taxonomic features. Cuticu-
fromthebasalJurassic LandsboroughSandstone lardetailsandthemorphologyofassociatedfruc-
of the Nambour Basin, the Purlawaugh Forma- tifications may be important characters for the
tion of central New South Wales, and the specific segregation of Taeniopteris-htzf\t\g
Woodenbong Beds (or Grafton Formation) and plantsbutthesefeaturesarecommonlynotavail-
the Walloon Coal Measures of the Clarenoe- able. Taeniopteris and Nipaniophyttum leaves
MoretonBasin,arepossiblyconspecificwiththe haveconsistentlybeen found in association with
Mutdapilly specimen, However, the absence of Carnoconiies (ovulate) and Sahnia (pollenate)
fertilematerial does notpermit definite assigna- fructifications from various Gondwanan prov-
tion to Coniopteris. Other Mesozoic Australian inces (Sahni, 1948; Vishnu-Millre, 1953;
A
sphenopteroid fronds [e.g., 5. lacunos* Shirley Drinnan Chambers, 1985, 1986)and mostarc
1898. S warragulensis McCoy 1892, S likely tobelong topentoxylalean gymnosperms.
flaMlifolia (Tenison-Woods) Walkom 1919] Taeniopteris leaves from the Walloon Coal
differ by their less dissected or more elongate Measures have traditionally been referred to 7".
pinnules. Sphenopteristravisii Stirling 1900 has spatulata (c.gM Walkom, 1917; Hill et al., 1966;
similar dissected pinnules but these arc not so Gould, 1980), a species established forJurassic
attenuated at thebase as thoseoftheMuuiapill> toEarlyCretaceousIndianmaterial. Queensland
specimen. andIndian leaves are morphologically very sim-
266 MEMOIRSOFTHEQUEENSLAND MUSEUM
FIG. 5. A3, Taeniopteris sp. cf. T. spatulata McClelland, 1850. A, matted examples of relatively broad
cTfa.eEnliaopttoecrliasdulseacvoensf,erUtQuFs7(9O7ld1h8a(mri&ghtM)o,rrUiQsF)7H9al7l1e9, 1(9ce1n3t.reC),,sUevQeFr7al9s7l2e0nde(rfa,rrlaerfetl),yxbrla.nBc,heUdQ,Ft7w9ig7s1w5i,thxs2p.iCra,lDlyt
inserted uni-veined leaves, UQF79696, x 1. D, enlargement ofone axis in Fig. 5C, x 3. E,F; indeterminate
parallel-veinedfoliage. E, UQF79714,x 2. F,UQF79735,x 1.5.
iJar, but the Walloon specimens lackcritical cu- Taeniopteris leaves from Mutdapilly range
ticular data, anatomical details, and fructifica- from relatively broad spatulate forms (Figs 4F;
tionsthatnowappeartobeessential foraccurate 5A,B) to linear, needle-like examples (Fig. 4E).
specific determinations within this genus. Most Although individual leavescan appearquite dif-
ferent, a morphological continuum exists within
AcaursrturtahleirasniTriaTsesinciTsaoenni-oWpoteordissleav1e8s8(3e,.g., TT.. tehveidpeonptuliantiToane.nAiospitmeirliasrlmeoarvpehsolforgoimcalthreanCgleenits
lentriculiforme (Etheridge) Walkom 1917, T. Hills Group (Middle Jurassic), Waikawa, New
dunstaniWalkom 1917) differ from 7. sp. cf. T Zealand.TaeniopterisdaintreeiMcCoy 1860and
spatulata by their proportionately broader lami- T. howardensis Walkom 1919, from the Victor-
nae and lesservein density. ian and Queensland Early Cretaceous respec-