27 



spora and Lundbladispora appear to be 

 morphologically closely related. 



Affinities. — Probably lycopsid, sigillarian. 

 Balme (1963, p. 22) pointed out the simi- 

 larity of cavate spores to spores of modern 

 species of Selaginella and to those obtained 

 from fossil lycopodiaceous strobili. Lund- 

 bladispora willmotti and L. simoni sp. nov. 

 are quite similar to the microspores of Mazo- 

 carpon oedipternum Schopf (1941, pi. 5, 

 fig. 4). 



Lundbladispora simoni sp. nov. 

 Plate 3, figures 15-17 



Diagnosis. — The spores are radial, trilete, 

 roundly triangular to subcircular in outline, 

 and usually in good proximal-distal orienta- 

 tion. The trilete rays are distinct, often torn, 

 and extend almost to the inner margin of 

 the thickened equatorial zone. The exoexine 

 and intexine marginal to the commissure are 

 usually elevated and sinuous, giving the ap- 

 pearance of lips. Prominent apical papillae 

 are present on the intexine. Surrounding the 

 spore body is a flange or slightly thickened 

 equatorial zone about 6 /x wide that grad- 

 ually tapers in thickness toward the periph- 

 ery of the spore. The equatorial zone is 

 slightly thicker opposite the rays in some, 

 but not all, specimens. The proximal surface 

 is convex, and the distal surface is more or 

 less flat and even with the flange. Under oil 

 immersion objective the proximal and distal 

 surfaces and the flange are minutely punc- 

 tate. In addition, the entire distal surface is 

 ornamented with verrucose or granulose pro- 

 jections, most of which are spherical but some 

 of which are cone shaped, and which vary in 

 size from less than 1 /x to 3.5 /x in diameter 

 and may be up to 3 /x long. The periphery 

 of the flange is set with 35 to 45 verrucae. 

 The very thin levigate intexine may not be 

 apparent in highly compressed specimens. 

 The proximal side is about 1 «, thick, and the 

 distal side is about 2 /x thick. Dimensions 

 (15 specimens) : size range, 47.7 to 74.6 /x 

 in maximum diameter; median, 61.5 /x. 



Holotype. — Plate 3, figure 15; negative 

 6130; Henshaw Formation, maceration 1122- 

 Q, slide 28 ZB, coordinates, 129.6 X 45.0; 

 size, 59.3 by 59.3 /x (not including ornamen- 

 tation) . 



Paratypes. — Plate 3, figure 16; negative 

 6427; Henshaw Formation, maceration 1122- 

 Q, slide 41 ZB, coordinates, 141.2 X 31.9; 

 size, 69.2 by 68.3 /x. Plate 3, figure 17; nega- 

 tive 5439; Henshaw Formation, maceration 

 1122-Q, slide 14, coordinates, 135.9 X 30.8; 

 size, 58.3 by 55.7 /x. 



Comparison. — Lundbladispora simoni re- 

 sembles Lycospora gigantea Alpern, 1958 

 (Alpern, 1959, p. 171, pi. 7, figs. 179-181), 

 but the latter has coni over its entire surface 

 and lacks apical papillae. Lycospora gigantea 

 probably should be reassigned to Lundbladi- 

 spora. Lundbladispora simoni compares close- 

 ly with Lundbladispora willmotti, but the lat- 

 ter has a thicker distal surface (4 to 6 n) 

 and is larger (71 to 86 /x) . The distal sur- 

 face of Lundbladispora simoni is ornamented 

 mainly with verrucae having rounded to 

 blunt ends, rather than with coni or spines 

 such as appear on L. willmotti. The intexine 

 of L. simoni is not as sharply delineated as 

 that of L. willmotti. The latter was described 

 from considerably younger strata (Early Tri- 

 assic) . 



Derivation of name. — The species was 

 named in honor of Jack A. Simon, Illinois 

 State Geological Survey. 



Genus Lycospora Schopf, 



Wilson, & Bentall, 1944 



Plate 3, figures 18-21 



Type species. — Lycospora micro papillatus 

 (Wilson & Coe) Schopf, Wilson, & Bentall, 

 1944. 



Affinities. — Arboreous lepidodendrids 

 (Schopf, Wilson, and Bentall, 1944, p. 54). 

 Felix (1954, p. 351-394) described and illus- 

 trated microspores of the Lycospora type 

 from several arborescent lycopod cones. Sen 

 (1958, p. 160) obtained microspores he as- 

 signed to Lycospora parva Kosanke, 1950, 

 from a Lepidostrobus compression. Spores of 

 the Lycospora type from three microsporan- 

 giate lycopod strobili — Lepidostrobopsis prin- 

 ceps (Lesquereux) Abbott, 1963, Lepido- 

 carposis angusta Abbott, 1963, and L. semia- 

 lata Abbott, 1963, were described by Abbott 

 (1963, p. 103-110). Several other investiga- 

 tions also have demonstrated that the affin- 

 ity of Lycospora lies with Lycopsida. 



