The Early Cretaceous Mesofossil Flora Of Torres Vedras (Ne Of Forte Da Forca), Portugal: A Palaeofloristic Analysis Of An Early Angiosperm Community Author Friis, Else Marie Author Crane, Peter R. Author Pedersen, Kaj Raunsgaard text Fossil Imprint 2019 2019-11-25 75 2 153 257 http://dx.doi.org/10.2478/if-2019-0013 journal article 10.2478/if-2019-0013 2533-4069 5386203 Goczania inaequalis E.M.FRIIS, P.R.CRANE et K.R.PEDERSEN sp. nov. Text-fig. 28a–l H o l o t y p e. Designated here. S137919 (Torres Vedras sample 44; figured Text-fig. 28a–f ). P l a n t F o s s i l N a m e s R e g i s t r y N u m b e r. PFN000463 (for new species). P a r a t y p e s. Designated here. S136768, S148011, S174557 (Torres Vedras sample 44). R e p o s i t o r y. Palaeobotanical Collections , Department of Palaeobiology , the Swedish Museum of Natural History , Stockholm , Sweden . E t y m o l o g y. From Latin: inaequalis referring to the uneven distribution of the microechinae. T y p e l o c a l i t y. Torres Vedras (NE of Forte de Forca; 39°06′13″ N , 9°14′47″ W ). T y p e s t r a t u m a n d a g e. Lower member of the Almargem Formation; Early Cretaceous (late Barremianearly Aptian). D i a g n o s i s. As for the genus with the following additions: Equatorial outline of pollen circular to transversely elliptical. Tectum microperforate and microechinate, not rugulate. Perforations minute and scattered. Microechinae confined to the proximal surface and bordering the colpus on the distal surface; otherwise the distal face and equatorial region psilate. D i s t i n g u i s h i n g f e a t u r e s. The species is distinguished from Goczania rugosa by the psilate, nonrugulate, surface of the pollen and the uneven distribution of the supratectal ornamentation. Goczania inaequalis is distinguished from G. punctatus by the less pronounced perforations in the tectum. D i m e n s i o n s. Equatorial diameter of pollen grains: 11–12 µm. D e s c r i p t i o n a n d r e m a r k s. Goczania inaequalis is based on four anther fragments with in situ pollen grains ( Text-fig. 28a, g ) as well as isolated pollen grains found in coprolites ( Text-fig. 48c, e ). The inner surface of the anther wall is covered by densely spaced orbicules ( Text-fig. 28b, c, f ). Orbicules are also scattered over the surface of the pollen grains ( Text-fig. 28l ). The orbicules are small, spherical and with a surface ornamentation of microechinate sculpturing ( Text-fig. 28c ). The pollen grains are small, circular to transversely elliptical in equatorial outline, and about 11–12 µm in equatorial diameter ( Text-fig. 28d–f, h, j–l ). The colpus is long, reaching almost to the equator. In grains that are transversely elliptical, the colpus is oriented perpendicular to the longest axis of the grain ( Text-fig. 28d, k, l ). The colpus margin is distinct with a slightly irregular outline. The pollen wall is tectate with a supratectal ornamentation of solitary microechinae on the proximal surface and also bordering the colpus. Microechinae are absent from the distal face between the colpus margin and the equator where the tectum is psilate ( Text-fig. 28d–e, h, j–l ). As seen in several broken grains the infratectal layer is thin and granular (Textfig. 28i). A f f i n i t y a n d o t h e r o c c u r r e n c e s. Goczania inaequalis , like Appomattoxia minuta , Appomattoxia ancistrophora , Appofructus nudus and Appofructus sp. , as well as Goczania rugosa , is probably related to extant Piperales (see above). Goczania inaequalis is currently known only from the Torres Vedras mesofossil flora. Pollen grains reported as Tucanopollis cf. crispopollenites from the early-late Aptian of Algarve, Portugal ( Heimhofer et al. 2007 ) may be conspecific with Goczania inaequalis , but details of the tectum ornamentation/perforation are not clear from the LM illustrations and at this resolution it may be difficult to distinguish between G. inaequalis and G. punctata (see below).