New Early Cretaceous flowering plants from the Early Cretaceous identified in Portugal
Scanning electron microscope (SEM) image of staminate inflorescences of Proencistemon portugallicus gen. et sp. nov.
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English version: Diana Taborda
An international study identified new Angiosperm mesofossils (flowering plants), collected in the Lower Cretaceous of Catefica, in the Torres Vedras region. Mário Miguel Mendes, researcher at the Centre for Marine and Environmental Sciences of the University of Coimbra (MARE-UC) is co-author of the study.
The research work, with the title "The Early Cretaceous Mesofossil Flora of Catefica, Portugal: Angiosperms" - published in the journal FOSSIL IMPRINT, aims mainly to establish a link between the temporal evolution of flowering plants (angiosperms) and stratigraphic, environmental and climate changes, in order to characterise paleoenvironments and paleoclimates.
Mendes states that "In this work it was possible to carry out detailed and thorough analyses of the fossil plants and recognise 67 species of angiosperms. Five new genera and six new species of angiosperms were established for science, which is truly extraordinary".
According to Mário Miguel Mendes, “In this flora, there are staminate structures with pollen grains in situ very similar to those produced by the current genera Ascarina and Hedyosmum (both likely related to the family Chloranthaceae). These male structures have been described as a new genus and species - Proencistemon portugallicus gen. et sp. Nov, in honour of Pedro Proença e Cunha, Full Professor at the FCUC Department of Earth Sciences "for his significant contributions to understanding the stratigraphy of the Portuguese Cretaceous".
Angiosperms represent around 230,000 species of modern flora and are essential for sustaining life on Earth. However, little is known about the conditions that have led to the radiation and diversity of this extremely important group of plants that currently dominate the Earth's ecosystems.
The research work was carried out in collaboration with scientists from Denmark, United States, Czech Republic and Sweden, and received funding from the Swedish Research Council, the United States National Science Foundation, the Czech Grant Agency, as well as from the UC MARE/ARNET.
The scientific article “The Early Cretaceous Mesofossil Flora of Catefica, Portugal: Angiosperms” is available at: http://fi.nm.cz/en/clanek/the-early-cretaceous-mesofossil-flora-of-catefica-portugal-angiosperms-2/.