Early Cretaceous macrofloras 
31 
Roebuckia spatulata sp. nov. 
Figures 5E,F 
1993 Indeterminate spatulate frond; McLoughlin 
and Guppy; p. 14; figure 9 (lower part). 
Holotype 
WAM P.88.15 (Figures 5E,F); Broome Sandstone 
(Neocomian-Barremian); Gantheaume Point, 
Broome, Canning Basin, Western Australia. 
Etymology 
Genus: after Roebuck Bay near Broome. Species: 
denoting frond shape. 
Material 
WAM P.88.15. 
Distribution 
Broome Sandstone (Neocomian-Barremian); 
Canning Basin. 
Combined diagnosis for genus and species 
Frond oblanceolate, margin entire, apex rounded, 
base acute, petiolate. Single robust vein in petiole, 
repeatedly dichotomous and gently divergent 
across lamina. Veins terminate at apex or distal 
part of lateral margin. Longitudinally elliptical sori 
inserted in depressions and arranged in 1-2 rows 
between each pair of veins on distal portion of 
frond. 
Description 
Single available spatulate frond 13 mm wide, 56 
mm long. Frond margin entire, apex rounded, base 
tapering acutely to a 15 mm long petiole (Figure 
5E). Single vein emerges from base, bifurcates up 
to five times. Veins gently diverge distally, 
terminating at apical margin or distal part of lateral 
margin; no anastomoses, no marginal vein. Sori 
impressions evident on distal portions of leaf (best 
seen on latex cast). Sori elliptical, inserted in 
depressions, reaching 0.5 mm wide, 2 mm long, 
arranged in 1-2 rows between adjacent veins 
(Figure 5F). Sori have granular appearance (on 
casts) but details of sporangia or spores 
unavailable. 
Comments 
Although only a single leaf of the type species is 
known, the specimen is deemed sufficiently 
distinctive to warrant the erection of a new genus 
and species. Superficially, the specimen resembles 
a ginkgophyte leaf in terms of its divergent 
dichotomous venation. However, Mesozoic 
ginkgophytes typically have broadly flabellate, 
leaves with much finer and more closely spaced 
venation (Sah 1952, 1953; Baksi 1968; Mehta and 
Sud 1953; Sah and Jain 1965; Bose 1958; Bose and 
Sukh Dev 1960; Anderson and Anderson 1989). 
The Broome Sandstone specimen is clearly a 
pteridophyte owing to the presence of rows of 
elliptical sori between the ultimate veins. Species 
of the extant tropical epiphytic or lithophytic 
vittariacean fern genus Antrophyum Kaulfuss, 1824 
have pendant spatulate fronds similar to Roebuckia 
but their veins are commonly reticulate with 
flanking dichotomous or reticulate sori (Clifford 
and Constantine 1980; Piggott 1988). Roebuckia 
spatulata resembles individual oblanceolate 
pinnules of Adiantopteris oshimaensis Kimura, 
Ohana and Aiba 1990 but is a larger leaf with more 
robust and less dense venation. 
Incertae sedis 
Genus Aculea Douglas, 1973 
Type species 
Aculea bifida Douglas, 1973; Lower Cretaceous; 
Boola Boola Forest; Victoria. 
Aculea bifida Douglas, 1973 
Figure 5D 
cf. 1961 Stenopteris tripinnata (Walkom); White; p. 
302; plate 4, figure 6. [1961a]. 
Holotype 
GSV60879 (Geological Survey of Victoria), 
Strzelecki Group, Zone B (Neocomian); Boola 
Boola Forest, Gippsland, Victoria. 
Material 
UWA120489. 
Distribution 
Strzelecki Group, Zones B-C (Neocomian- 
Aptian), Gippsland Basin, Victoria (Douglas 1973); 
Broome Sandstone (Neocomian-Barremian), 
Canning Basin, Western Australia. 
-4 Figure 5 A, Phyllopteroides westralensis sp. nov.; Portion of frond; UWA10473C; Bullsbrook Formation; x 1.5; B, 
Microphyllopteris glcichenioides (Oldham and Morris) Walkom 1919a; WAM P.88.1; Broome Sandstone; x 1; 
C, Sphenopteris tvarragulensis McCoy (in Stirling), 1892; WAM P.89.176; Broome Sandstone; x 1; D, Aculea 
bifida Douglas 1973; UWA120489; Broome Sandstone; x 2; E, Latex cast of Roebuckia spatulata gen. et sp. 
nov., WAM P.88.15 (left) overlying a fragmentary Bucklandia sp. axis with spiral rhomboid leaf scars, WAM 
P.96.8 (upper right); Broome Sandstone; x 2; F, Enlargement of distal portion of latex cast of Roebuckia 
spatulata frond showing elliptical sori between veins; WAM P.88.15; x 6; G, Sphenopteris sp. A; WAM 
P.89.186; Isolated pinna; Broome Sandstone; x 2; H, Sphenopteris sp. A; WAM P.89.167; Broome Sandstone; 
x 1. 
