A unique Cycadocarpidium from the Upper Triassic Nariwa Group, west Japan

Abstract

Cycadocarpidium cone scales are common in the Late Triassic floras in North ern Hemisphere. Many unique coniferous scales and their fragments assignable to the Cycadocarpidium were newly collected from the Nariwa Group. They are character ized by having bract-scales each with only two veins and three small-sized triangular ovuliferous scales and three ovules (seeds). These features are so unique that we herewith propose Cycadocarpidium binerivium sp. nov. Many Podozamites leafy shoots are known from just above the present Cycadocarpidium bed, but both organs are not in organic connection.