Eogonocormus—A new early cretaceous fern of Hymenophyllaceae from China

Abstract

Eogonocormus gen. nov., a new Early Cretaceous fern of Hymenophyllaceae from north-eastern China, is described based upon the type species Eogonocormus cretaceum sp. nov. The frond is small, thalloid, dichotomous and with a creeping rhizome. The sori are rounded, borne marginally on the fan-like ends of pinnule lobes, with 8–12 sori in each lobe. The spores are rounded or subrounded, trilete, with baculate, granulate, spinate and reticulate sculptures. Hymenophyllites linearifolius Deng is re-examined and transferred to the new genus as E. linearifolium based upon the characteristics of its sori.