LECLERCQIA COMPLEXA: EARLIEST LIGULATE LYCOPOD (MIDDLE DEVONIAN)

摘要: Our discovery of a ligule on Leclercqia complexa Banks, Bonamo and Grierson 1972 is the earliest occurrence ligulate lycopod in fossil record. The 1) occurs homosporous lycopod, differing with current concepts that linked heterosporous condition; 2) located leaf far distant from attachment to stem, thus position any known extinct or extant; 3) comp\arable morphology ligules extant lycopods, therefore providing no clues as earlier specialized function. These findings extend enigma function back time, but necessitate re-evaluation spatial relationship link between heterospory ligule.