Lepidostrobophyllum veltheimianum (GEINITZ) STRULLU-DERRIEN, CLEAL, DUCASSOU, A.R.T. SPENCER, STOLLE et LESHYK, 2021

Lepidostrobophyllum veltheimianum (GEINITZ) STRULLU-DERRIEN, CLEAL, DUCASSOU, A.R.T. SPENCER, STOLLE et LESHYK, 2021

Text-fig. 5a View Text-fig

1854 Lepidophyllum veltheimianum GEINITZ , p. 52, pl. 4, figs 6–9.

1952 Lepidocarpon waltonii CHALONER , p. 572, pl. 21, figs 1–7.

1966 Lepidocarpon waltonii CHALONER ; Crookall, p. 526, pl. 103, fig. 2.

1985 Lepidostrobophyllum veltheimianum (GEINITZ) STEPANEK et VOGELLEHNER , nom. inval., p. 86.

2021 Lepidostrobophyllum veltheimianum (GEINITZ) STRULLU-DERRIEN, CLEAL, DUCASSOU, A.R.T. SPENCER, STOLLE et LESHYK , p. 7, fig. 3H.

D e s c r i p t i o n. Lanceolate sporophylls gradually tapering to an acute apex, up to 35 mm long, 4 mm wide; pedicel 8–13 mm long. Each sporophyll has a single megaspore up to 6.7 mm long, 2 mm wide, often accompanied by three much smaller abortive megaspores.

R e m a r k s. These sporophylls were originally described as Lepidocarpon waltonii , but their slender, acute blades are closely comparable with the specimens from Maine-et-Loire described by Strullu-Derrien et al. (2021: fig. 3H) as Lepidostrobophyllum veltheimianum , the latter name having precedence. In both southern Scotland and Maine-et-Loire these sporophylls are often found associated with stems of Lepidodendron veltheimii , and are likely to have been produced by the same plant species.

This combination was first used by Stepanek and Vogellehner (1985), who referred to two of the syntypes figured by Geinitz (1854: pl. 4, figs 7, 8) as characterising the species. However, as they did not make a full reference to the basionym and, being published after 1953, this new combination by Stepanek and Vogellehner was not validly published (ICN, Art. 41). The first use of the combination that included a direct and full reference to the Geintiz basionym was by Strullu-Derrien et al. (2021), so the correct designation for the species is as given here.

O c c u r r e n c e s. Mainly from the coal-bearing interval above the Black Metals Band (Limestone Coal Formation); also from below the Orchard Limestone (Upper Limestone Formation).