In situ spores of lycophytes from the Anisian Kühwiesenkopf/Monte Prà della Vacca flora in northern Italy

Abstract

ABSTRACT Four species of lycophytes have been described from the palaeoflora of the Anisian Dont Formation at the Kühwiesenkopf/Monte Prà della Vacca section in the Dolomites (northern Italy); Isoetites brandneri, Lepacyclotes bechstaedtii (both Isoëtaceae), Selaginellites leonardii (Selaginellaceae), and Lycopia dezanchei (order and family indet.). For I. brandneri and S. leonardii, in situ spores have also been reported. We have now restudied in situ material from all four species with a focus on the morphological variability of the spores. Microspores and a single megaspore from L. dezanchei and possible poorly preserved microspores from L. bechstaedtii are described for the first time. The microspores from a paratype of I. brandneri proved to be highly variable and unusual, generally with an elliptical (bilobed) cingulum/zona that resembles the sacci of bisaccate pollen. In addition, both micro- and megaspores from a specimen previously assigned to I. brandneri showed considerable differences to those from the paratype, suggesting a biologically distinct species.