Oricilla

Oricilla
Temporal occurrence
	Early Devonian (probably Emsium )
	416 to 397 million years
Locations
	New Brunswick;
Systematics
Department :	Vascular plants (tracheophyta)
	Lycophytes
Class :	Zosterophyllopsida
Order :	Sawdoniales
Family :	Gosslingiaceae
Genre :	Oricilla
Scientific name
	Oricilla

Oricilla is a genus of extinct plants that are known from the Devonian and belong to the Zosterophyllopsida , relatives of the bear moss plants . The only species is Oricilla bilinearis .

features

The main axes are branched in a pseudo monopodial or isotomous manner. They are likely arranged in a planar manner. The tips are rolled up (circinat), the axes are bare. Child branch is unknown. Internal anatomical features have not been preserved. The epidermis has mainly elongated cells on the axes, but these are interrupted by cell rosettes. The cuticle of the sporangia indicates isodiametric cells.

The sporangia are strongly kidney-shaped. They have two similar valves (isovalvat), stalked in two rows in loose, branched fertile zones of the axes. The sporangia are oriented like an ear. The spores are round, have a trilete (three-pointed) scar that extends over a third to half the radius of the spore. They are usually smooth and have a diameter of 68 to 92 µm.

The gametophyte is unknown.

distribution

Oricilla bilineais is known from the Gaspé sandstone in New Brunswick , Canada. The site is dated to the early Devonian, probably Emsian .

Systematics

The genus Oricilla was put by Kenrick and Crane after cladistic studies together with Gosslingia and Tarella in a separate family Gosslingiaceae, which is characterized by the ear-shaped sporangia.

supporting documents

Paul Kenrick, Peter R. Crane: The Origin and Early Diversification of Land Plants. A Cladistic Study . Smithsonian Institution Press, Washington DC 1997, v. a. P. 335. ISBN 1-56098-729-4
Thomas N. Taylor, Edith L. Taylor: The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants . Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs 1993, p. 211. ISBN 0-13-651589-4