Telangiopsis Gen. Nov., an Upper Mississippian Pollen Organ from Arkansas

Abstract

Telangiopsis arkansanum is described from compressed synangiate pollen organs borne terminally on a monopodially branched system of slender axes. The specimens occur in a fine-grained shale unit of the Wedington sandstone (Chester series). Individual synangia contain five or six sporangia, measure approximately 1.0 mm long and 0.8 mm wide, and contain radial trilete spores ranging from 47 to 54 n in diameter. A discussion of the genus Telangium, to which similar remains would have previously been assigned, is presented. The generic name Telangium is retained for the petrified species T. scotti and T. pygmaeum, while the generic name Telangiopsis is proposed to include nonpetrifaction specimens previously assigned to the genus.