New cyathealean tree ferns from the Cretaceous of South Africa: Natalipteris wildei gen. et sp. nov. and Kwazulupteris schaarschmidtii gen. et sp. nov.

Abstract

Two new genera and species of permineralized tree ferns, Natalipteris wildei and Kwazulupteris schaarschmidtii, are defined and described in detail. Natalipteris wildei is a solenostelic stem without well-developed sclerenchyma sheaths in their vascular strands, and has a single vascular strand in the petiole bases, which are somewhat similar to the one present in Cibotium and Nishidacaulis. On the other hand, K. schaarschmidtii is a dictyostelic fern, with petiole bases with fused adaxial arcs and a single isolated meristele in the petiolar pith. Both taxa present features that preclude their placement in the recognized families of Cyatheales, but may be referred to the “core tree ferns” clade. Fossil specimens were found in the Senckenberg Forschungsinstitut Palaeobotanical Collection and, although they lack precise stratigraphic provenance, it is suggested that they were collected from the Mzinene Formation (Albian–Turonian).