A new species of Pteridiaceae-Pteridium Dachingshanense

Abstract

A new fossil species, Pteridium dachingshanense, is described from the Early Cretaceous strata in Dachingshan Range of Neimonggol Autonomous Region (Inner Mongol), China. The species shows some characteristics of Pteridium, such as the continuous marginal sorus and a true scarious indusium. It differs from the living bracken fern Pteridium aquilinum in its overall smaller size, more or less reduced pinnules, smaller combined terminal pinnules, and obscure venation. The secondary veins arising from the midvein near the base of the pinnules seem to form a little fan-like pattern. New species traces the history of Pteridiaceae back to the Cretaceous period.