Renalia is a genus of extinct vascular plants from the Early Devonian (around 420 to 390 million years ago). It was first described in 1976 from compressed fossils in the Battery Point Formation (Gaspé, Québec, Canada). It is difficult to reconstruct the original form of the complete plant, but it appears to have consisted of leafless branching stems whose side branches had sporangia (spore-forming organs) at their tips. It is regarded as an early relative of the lycophytes (clubmosses and relatives).
The speciesR. hueberi was described by Patricia G. Gensel in 1976 from compressed fossils. As with all compressions, it is difficult to reconstruct the entire plant, but the sporophyte is thought to have been about 30 cm tall, with bare stems (axes) up to 1.5 mm wide. The main stem had lateral branches which divided into two equal branches (dichotomized) several times. Tracheids (specialized cells serving the purpose of water transport) were present in the stems. The rounded to reniform (kidney-shaped) sporangia (spore-forming organs) were born at the tips of the lateral branches and dehisced (split) along the distal margin into two equal parts. The spores were trilete (multiple spores shared a common origin, and were in contact with each other).[1][3]
Two further species, R. grabertii and R. major were described later by Schweitzer. The sporangia are similarly reniform, differing in their placement. In R. major, they are inserted laterally on the stem on small stalks, too short to be called branches.[4]
Phylogenyedit
The absence of leaves, the presence of vascular tissue, the terminal position of the sporangia and the form of the branching of the stems (pseudomonopodial) suggest a relationship with the Rhyniaceae; however, the shape of the sporangia and the form of their dehiscence suggest a relationship with the lycophytes.[3] Hence the position of the genus in the cladogram for the polysporangiophytes which Crane et al. published in 2004; Renalia is placed basal to the lycophytes (clubmosses and relatives).[5]
^ abcGensel, Patricia G. (1976), "Renalia hueberi, a new plant from the lower Devonian of Gaspé", Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology, 22 (1): 19–37, doi:10.1016/0034-6667(76)90009-9
^ abSchweitzer, H.J. (1980), "Die Gattungen Renalia Gensel und Psilophyton Dawson im Unterdevon des Rheinlandes", Bonner Paläobotanische Mitteilungen (in German), 6: 1–34, cited in Fairon-Demaret 1986
^ abTaylor, T.N.; Taylor, E.L. & Krings, M. (2009), Paleobotany : The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants (2nd ed.), Amsterdam; Boston: Academic Press, p. 250, ISBN978-0-12-373972-8
^Fairon-Demaret, M. (1986), "Les plantes emsiennes du Sart Tilman (Belgique). II. Sartilmania jabachensis (Kräusel et Weyland) comb. nov.", Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology (in French), 47 (3–4): 225–39, doi:10.1016/0034-6667(86)90038-2
^Crane, P.R.; Herendeen, P.; Friis, E.M. (2004), "Fossils and plant phylogeny", American Journal of Botany, 91 (10): 1683–99, doi:10.3732/ajb.91.10.1683, PMID 21652317
renalia, genus, extinct, vascular, plants, from, early, devonian, around, million, years, first, described, 1976, from, compressed, fossils, battery, point, formation, gaspé, québec, canada, difficult, reconstruct, original, form, complete, plant, appears, hav. Renalia is a genus of extinct vascular plants from the Early Devonian around 420 to 390 million years ago It was first described in 1976 from compressed fossils in the Battery Point Formation Gaspe Quebec Canada It is difficult to reconstruct the original form of the complete plant but it appears to have consisted of leafless branching stems whose side branches had sporangia spore forming organs at their tips It is regarded as an early relative of the lycophytes clubmosses and relatives RenaliaTemporal range Early Devonian PreꞒ Ꞓ O S D C P T J K Pg N Scientific classification Kingdom Plantae Clade Streptophyta Clade Embryophytes Clade Polysporangiophytes Clade Tracheophyta Genus RenaliaGensel 1976 1 Type species Renalia hueberiGensel 1976 Species R grabertii Schweitzer 1980 2 R hueberi Gensel 1976 1 R major Schweitzer 1980 2 Contents 1 Description 2 Phylogeny 3 References 4 External linksDescription editThe species R hueberi was described by Patricia G Gensel in 1976 from compressed fossils As with all compressions it is difficult to reconstruct the entire plant but the sporophyte is thought to have been about 30 cm tall with bare stems axes up to 1 5 mm wide The main stem had lateral branches which divided into two equal branches dichotomized several times Tracheids specialized cells serving the purpose of water transport were present in the stems The rounded to reniform kidney shaped sporangia spore forming organs were born at the tips of the lateral branches and dehisced split along the distal margin into two equal parts The spores were trilete multiple spores shared a common origin and were in contact with each other 1 3 Two further species R grabertii and R major were described later by Schweitzer The sporangia are similarly reniform differing in their placement In R major they are inserted laterally on the stem on small stalks too short to be called branches 4 Phylogeny editThe absence of leaves the presence of vascular tissue the terminal position of the sporangia and the form of the branching of the stems pseudomonopodial suggest a relationship with the Rhyniaceae however the shape of the sporangia and the form of their dehiscence suggest a relationship with the lycophytes 3 Hence the position of the genus in the cladogram for the polysporangiophytes which Crane et al published in 2004 Renalia is placed basal to the lycophytes clubmosses and relatives 5 tracheophytes Rhyniaceae Huvenia Rhynia Stockmansella basal groups Aberlemnia caledonica Cooksonia caledonica Cooksonia pertoni basal groups Cooksonia cambrensis Renalia Sartilmania Uskiella Yunia lycophytes euphyllophytesReferences edit a b c Gensel Patricia G 1976 Renalia hueberi a new plant from the lower Devonian of Gaspe Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology 22 1 19 37 doi 10 1016 0034 6667 76 90009 9 a b Schweitzer H J 1980 Die Gattungen Renalia Gensel und Psilophyton Dawson im Unterdevon des Rheinlandes Bonner Palaobotanische Mitteilungen in German 6 1 34 cited in Fairon Demaret 1986 a b Taylor T N Taylor E L amp Krings M 2009 Paleobotany The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants 2nd ed Amsterdam Boston Academic Press p 250 ISBN 978 0 12 373972 8 Fairon Demaret M 1986 Les plantes emsiennes du Sart Tilman Belgique II Sartilmania jabachensis Krausel et Weyland comb nov Review of Palaeobotany and Palynology in French 47 3 4 225 39 doi 10 1016 0034 6667 86 90038 2 Crane P R Herendeen P Friis E M 2004 Fossils and plant phylogeny American Journal of Botany 91 10 1683 99 doi 10 3732 ajb 91 10 1683 PMID 21652317External links editCladogram from Crane Herendeen amp Friis 2004 Retrieved from https en wikipedia org w index php title Renalia amp oldid 1193404844, wikipedia, wiki, book, books, library,
