32 
S. McLoughlin 
Description 
Bipinnate, probably elliptical to rhomboid¬ 
shaped frond. Rachis slender (<1 mm wide) with 
prominent central longitudinal ridge (on 
impressions). Pinnae lanceolate, reaching 6 mm 
wide, 35 mm long, departing rachis at 20°-25°, 
alternate. Pinnules, needle-like or slightly flattened 
(Figure 5D), sub-opposite to alternate, <1 mm 
wide, reaching 12 mm long, with single median 
vein persisting to apex; base decurrent, apex 
pointed acute. 
Comments 
Although only a single sterile frond portion is 
available from the Broome Sandstone, it shows the 
deeply dissected lamina and univeined linear 
pinnules typical of Early Cretaceous Victorian 
examples of Aculea bifida (Douglas 1973; Drinnan 
and Chambers 1986). Dissected foliage of this type 
had previously been assigned to Sphenopteris or 
Stenopteris species (Seward 1904; Chapman 1909). 
White's (1961a) Stenopteris tripinnata (Walkom) 
from the Cronin Sandstone is comparable to A. 
bifida although her figured specimen appears to 
have more numerous pinnules arranged in a more 
regular bipinnate fashion. Walkom's (1919a) 
Stenopteris laxurn (Tenison-Woods) from the 
Maryborough Basin may also belong to this 
species. The Indian Sphenopteris metzgeroides Harris 
of Bose and Banerji (1984) and Antarctic S. 
nordenskjoldii Halle, 1913 may be synonymous with 
A. bifida based on frond morphology but both lack 
fertile material comparable to the Australian 
species. 
Genus Sphenopteris (Brongniart) Sternberg, 1825 
Type species 
Sphenopteris elegans (Brongniart) Sternberg, 1825; 
Carboniferous; Silesia. 
Discussion 
Numerous species have been assigned to this 
cosmopolitan form genus based on subtle 
differences in pinnule shape and venation pattern. 
Sphenopterid fronds may represent foliage of true 
ferns or seed ferns in the absence of fertile material. 
They are here assigned to the Pteridophyta based 
on the occurrence of fertile sphenopterid foliage 
found in coeval strata elsewhere in Australia 
(Drinnan and Chambers 1986). 
Sphenopteris warragulensis McCoy, (in Stirling) 
1892 
Figure 5C 
1993 Sphenopteris sp. A; McLoughlin and Guppy; 
figure 3. 
Neotype 
NMVP21341 (National Museum of Victoria), 
Strzelecki Group, Zone C (Barremian-Aptian); 
Jeetho Valley, Victoria. Designated by Douglas 
(1973). 
Material 
WAM P.89.176. 
Distribution 
Broome Sandstone (Neocomian-Barremian), 
Canning Basin. 
Description 
Fragmentary frond at least tripinnate, gross 
shape uncertain. Rachis reaching 1.5 mm broad 
with a prominent central longitudinal groove (on 
mould). First-order pinnae ovate to lanceolate 
bearing alternately arranged second-order pinnae 
proximally but giving way to ultimate pinnules 
distally (Figure 5C). Lanceolate second-order 
pinnae depart midrib at about 20°. Lanceolate 
ultimate pinnules arise from second-order pinnae 
alternately at about 20°, bases decurrent, apices 
pointed acute, margins entire. Venation 
sphenopteroid but poorly defined. 
Comments 
The single Broome Sandstone specimen 
compares favourably with Sphenopteris 
ivarragulensis McCoy, (in Stirling) 1892 from 
Victoria (McCoy in Stirling 1892; Douglas 1973; 
Drinnan and Chambers 1986) although the details 
of the fine serrations on pinnules are poorly 
defined and sori are not preserved. Medwell's 
(1954a) Sphenopteris hislopi Oldham and Morris 
probably also belongs to S. warragulensis. The 
narrow, elongate, acutely inserted pinnules 
differentiate this form from most other Sphenopteris 
species. Walkom's (1919a) S. flabellifolia Tenison- 
Woods, 1883 from the Queensland Cretaceous is 
closely comparable to S. warragulensis and would 
have nomenclatural priority if examination of the 
Queensland and Victorian specimens established 
their conspecificity. 
South American sphenopterid fronds (Herbst 
1964; Baldoni 1980a; Baldoni and de Vera 1980; 
Petriella and Arrondo 1984) generally differ from 
S. ivarragulensis by their squat rhomboid or 
elliptical pinnules. Many Indian Jurassic- 
Cretaceous sphenopterid species can also be 
separated from S. warragulensis by their more 
compact elliptical to rhomboid pinnules (Jain 1968; 
Bose 1958; Bose and Sah 1968). Roy's (1968) 5. 
specifica (Feistmantel) appears to have a lesser 
degree of frond dissection and more elliptical or 
oblanceolate ultimate pinnules than S- 
warragulensis. 
