Early Cretaceous macrofloras 
27 
Hansmannia species, Herbst (1979) considered that 
only H. wilkinsii Walkom, 1928, H. sp. cf. H. 
defarrariisii Feruglio, 1937, and H. bulbafortuis 
Douglas, 1973 were distinguishable. Hausmannia 
ivilkinsii and H. bulbaforniis are both differentiated 
from the Western Australian form by their strongly 
dissected lamina (Walkom 1928; Douglas 1973). 
Hausmannia sp. cf. H. defarrariisii from the Middle 
Jurassic Walloon Coal Measures (Herbst 1979; 
McLoughlin and Drinnan 1995) differs by its 
pronounced apical lamina incision and auriculate 
base with respect to both Northern Territory 
fronds illustrated by White (1961b, 1966) and the 
forms from the Broome Sandstone. It is likely that 
both the Northern Territory and Western 
Australian Early Cretaceous forms are conspecific. 
Order Osmundales 
Family Osmundaceae 
Genus Cladophlebis Brongniart, 1849 
Type species 
Cladophlebis albertsii (Dunker) Brongniart, 1849; 
?Jurassic; Germany. 
Cladophlebis sp. cf. C. oblotiga Halle, 1913 
Figures 4B,D,G 
1961 Cladophlebis australis (Morris); White; p. 304; 
plate 7, figures 1, 6. [1961a]. 
1993 Cladophlebis sp. cf. C. oblonga; McLoughlin and 
Guppy; figure 2. 
Material 
WAM P.64.5, WAM P.65.40, WAM P.88.9, WAM 
P.88.10, WAM P.88.12. 
Distribution 
Broome Sandstone, Canning Basin; Bullsbrook 
Formation, Perth Basin; Algebuckina Sandstone, 
South Australia (all Lower Cretaceous). 
Description 
Fronds pinnate or bipinnate (imparipinnate). 
Rachis prominent, striate, <1.5 mm wide, gently 
tapering distally. Pinnules alternate, oblong, up to 
6 mm wide, 18 mm long; apex rounded to obtusely 
pointed, margin entire, basiscopic margin straight 
or convex, acroscopic margin straight (Figures 
4B,D). Adjacent pinnule bases contiguous. Pinnules 
arise at c. 50° from rachilla. Pinnules have 
alethopteroid venation; veins depart pinnule 
midrib at 50°-60°, bifurcate once or twice, pass 
straight to margin, no anastomoses (Figure 4G). 
Pinnule midribs evanescent c. 3 mm before apex. 
Comments 
Cladophlebis foliage is abundant and widespread 
in Permian to Cainozoic strata throughout the 
world. Many species referred to this genus have 
been assigned to the Osmundaceae based on the 
possession of osmundaceous sporangia and spores 
or by association with permineralized 
osmundaceous axes. Specimens lacking attached 
axial or fertile remains are assigned to a large array 
of form species based on frond and pinnule shape 
and venation patterns. The variation of pinnule 
shapes evident on different parts of some extant 
fern fronds suggests that description of inadequate 
material may have led to a proliferation of names 
for Cladophlebis species. 
Australian cladophleboid fronds from a wide 
range of localities and ages have been commonly 
assigned to Cladophlebis australis (Morris) Seward, 
1904, a species originally erected for Triassic fronds 
from Tasmania (Morris 1845). The variation in 
Australian C. australis pinnule shapes appears to be 
roughly equivalent to the range evident between 
the many South American species (Herbst 1971). 
Morris's (1845) original illustrations of C. australis 
show slender tapering falcate pinnules quite 
different from the Western Australian form 
described here. The studied specimens are 
compared with C. oblonga Halle, 1913 based on 
their relatively oblong pinnules with rounded or 
weakly pointed apices although some Antarctic 
and South American examples of this species have 
slightly shorter and more falcate pinnules than the 
Western Australian forms (Halle 1913; Herbst 1971; 
Arrondo and Petriella 1980). Though poorly 
preserved and slightly smaller, White's (1961a) 
oblong Cladophlebis australis pinnae from the 
Callawa Formation appear to be conspecific with 
the Broome and Bullsbrook fronds as are the South 
Australian specimens of Glaessner and Rao (1955). 
^ Figure 4 A, Hausmannia sp.; WAM P.88.13; Broome Sandstone; x 2; B, Cladophlebis cf. oblonga Halle, 1913; 
UWA10465A; Bullsbrook Formation; x 2; C, Hausmannia sp.; Two fragmentary fronds with long slender 
rachises; WAM P.89.181; Broome Sandstone; x 1; D, Cladophlebis cf. oblonga Halle, 1913; Pinna with 
preserved apex; WAM P.88.12; Broome Sandstone; x 1.5; E,F,H, Isolated pinnules of Phyllopteroides 
uxstralensis sp. nov.; (E) UWA10473, (F) UWA10473, (H) UWA10467C; Bullsbrook Formation; all x 3; G, 
Cladophlebis rf. oblonga Halle, 1913 showing details of venation; WAM P.88.9; Broome Sandstone; x 2; I, 
Microphyllopteris glcichenioides (Oldham and Morris) Walkom 1919a; Enlargement showing details of pinnae; 
WAM P.88.1; Broome Sandstone; x 3. 
