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Cunninghamites johannae, a new cupressoid conifer from the Cenomanian of the Czech Republic and its palaeoecological implications

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Abstract

A new species of conifer, Cunninghamites johannae J. Kvaček sp. nov., is described from the Peruc–Korycany Formation (Cenomanian) of the Bohemian Cretaceous Basin (Czech Republic). It shows long linear epistomatic leaves arising from well-pronounced leaf cushions. Its cuticle displays monocyclic to incompletely dicyclic stomata arranged in two bands on the adaxial side of the leaf. Cunninghamites johannae differs from most species of the genus in having leaves spreading in all directions and in the absence of marginal teeth. The most similar species is C. ubaghsii from the Maastrichtian of the Netherlands. Cunninghamites johannae grew in a conifer-dominated mesophytic plant assemblage. This palaeoenvironment is uniquely preserved and documented in the Lanšperk locality.

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Acknowledgements

My thanks go to Lenka Váchová for her assistance with photo documentation of the studied specimens and Martin Valent for his assistance with micro photography. I am also grateful to reviewers Lutz Kunzmann and Hylke F. Bosma for their valuable comments. This study was supported by the project MKČR DF12P01OVV021: Typový a unikátní materiál ve sbírkách přírodovědeckých muzeí: metodika správy a zpřístupňování tohoto významného kulturního dědictví.

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  1. National Museum, Prague, Václavské nám. 68, 115 79, Praha 1, Prague, Czech Republic

    Jiří Kvaček

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  1. Jiří Kvaček
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Correspondence to Jiří Kvaček.

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This article is a contribution to the special issue “Green planet—400 million years of terrestrial floras. Papers in honour of JHA van Konijnenburg-van Cittert”

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Kvaček, J. Cunninghamites johannae, a new cupressoid conifer from the Cenomanian of the Czech Republic and its palaeoecological implications. Palaeobio Palaeoenv 94, 377–382 (2014). https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-014-0159-7

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  • DOI: https://doi.org/10.1007/s12549-014-0159-7

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