Biology:Neocalamites

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Neocalamites is an extinct genus of equisetalean plant. Neocalamites thrived during the Permian and Triassic, and occurs worldwide.

Description

Illustration of Neocalamites stems growing in an estuarine environment, with attached hybodont egg cases (Palaeoxyris) and hybodonts in the background

According to Elgorriaga et al. 2018, characteristics of Neocalamites include: "(1) aerial stems with continuous ribs across nodes, (2) whorls of unfused leaves as in archaeocalamitacean plants, (3) compact strobili consisting of successive whorls of peltate sporangiophores, and (4) bearing six or more sporangia per sporangiophore as in equisetacean strobili."[1] The leaves are similar to those of Annularia while the stems closely resemble those of Calamites.[2] It is disputed as to whether members of the genus have secondary xylem.[1][2] Neocalamites is suggested to have had a herbaceous to shrub like habit. It is suggested to have grown in wet habitats, such as on the banks of rivers.[2]

Taxonomy

Recent phylogenetic analysis has placed the genus as more closely related to modern Equisetaceae than to Calamitaceae. Cladogram after Elgorriaga et al, 2018[1]

Equisetales
Archaeocalamitaceae
 

Protocalamostachys

 
 

Peltotheca

 
 
 
 
 
 

Paracalamitina

 
 

Cruciaetheca

 
 
 

Calamitaceae

 
 
 
 

Neocalamites

 
Equisetaceae
 

Equisetites arenaceus

 
 
 

Spaciinodum

 
 

Equisetum

 
 
 
 
 
 

Chronology

According to Villalva et al. 2023 the chronological range of the genus spans from the Late Permian to the Late Jurassic.[2]

References

  1. ↑ 1.0 1.1 1.2 Elgorriaga, A.; Escapa, I.H.; Rothwell, G.W.; Tomescu, A.M.F.; Cúneo, N.R. (2018). "Origin of Equisetum: Evolution of horsetails (Equisetales) within the major euphyllophyte clade Sphenopsida". American Journal of Botany 105 (8): 1286–1303. doi:10.1002/ajb2.1125. PMID 30025163. 
  2. ↑ 2.0 2.1 2.2 2.3 Villalva, Alejandra S.; Gnaedinger, Silvia; Zavattieri, Ana María (September 2023). "Systematic and organ relationships of Neocalamites (Halle) Vladimirovicz, and Nododendron (Artabe and Zamuner) emend. from the Triassic of Patagonia. Palaeobiogeographic, palaeoenvironments and palaeoecology considerations" (in en). Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 316. doi:10.1016/j.revpalbo.2023.104939. https://linkinghub.elsevier.com/retrieve/pii/S0034666723001082. 

Wikidata ☰ Q13733451 entry