Late cretaceous macrofloras of eastern Otago, New Zealand: Gymnosperms

Abstract

Six new coniferous fossils are described from the Late Cretaceous of eastern Otago, New Zealand. These include two new species of Araucaria, A. desmondii, for which a new section, Perpendicula is erected, and A. taieriensis. Syntypes of Dammara oweni Ettingsh. and D. uninervis Ettingsh. are illustrated and concluded to be a single species of Araucaria, A. oweni. The diagnosis of Araucarioides Bigwood & Hill is emended and a new species, A. falcata (the first record of this genus from New Zealand) is described. Podozamites taenioides Cantrill is also placed into Araucarioides. Two new genera and species of Podocarpaceae are described, Kaia minuta and Katikia inordinata. A new genus and species, Otakauia lanceolata, is described and placed in the Taxodiaceae. The type specimen of Sequoia novae-zeelandiae Ettingsh. (Taxodiaceae) is re-examined and its cuticle described for the first time. Its identity is confirmed, but it is placed in Sequoiadendron which follows a more recent nomenclatural change involving extant species. A range of more poorly preserved conifer material is illustrated. The original vegetation grew in near-polar latitudes and would have experienced long periods of winter-darkness.