Puneet Varma (Editor)

Uskiella

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Kingdom
  
Plantae

Rank
  
Genus

Clade
  
Tracheophytes

Similar
  
Tortilicaulis, Salopella, Renalia, Taeniocrada

Uskiella is a genus of small fossil plants of Early Devonian age (around 420 to 390 million years ago). The diagnostic characters are naked axes branching isotomously, terminating in ellipsoidal, vertically elongate flat sporangia which split longitudinally into two valves. Spores of U. reticulata have a reticulate appearance. Coalified specimens have been reported from Wales, with a possible occurrence in Australia.

The relationships of the genus are not clear because many anatomical details remain unknown. In 2004, Crane et al. published a cladogram for the polysporangiophytes in which Uskiella is basal to the lycophytes (clubmosses and relatives).

References

Uskiella Wikipedia