Document generated on 09/25/2021 4:57 a.m. Atlantic Geology Foliar forms of Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri (Pennsylvanian, Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada) Ervin L. Zodrow Volume 39, Number 1, 2003 Article abstract Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri has been extensively figured and called by many URI: https://id.erudit.org/iderudit/ageo39_1art02 different names, particularly in the European literature, since the species was erected in 1699. Much of the nature of this arborescent-medullosalean tree still See table of contents remains to be documented, i.e., fructification, trunk, root, and frond architecture, but its heterophyllous foliage is well known. Based on the large macrofossil collections from the Pennsylvanian Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Publisher(s) Canada, it is possible to present an overall view of the diverse foliar nature of this remarkable medullosalean tree. Suggestions are offered as to how the The Electronic Text Centre at the University of New Brunswick Libraries many foliar forms fit into the bipinnate frond of Laveine and Brousmiche (1982). ISSN 0843-5561 (print) 1718-7885 (digital) Explore this journal Cite this article Zodrow, E. L. (2003). Foliar forms of Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri (Pennsylvanian, Sydney Coalfield, Nova Scotia, Canada). Atlantic Geology, 39(1), 23–37. All rights reserved © Atlantic Geology, 2003 This document is protected by copyright law. Use of the services of Érudit (including reproduction) is subject to its terms and conditions, which can be viewed online. https://apropos.erudit.org/en/users/policy-on-use/ This article is disseminated and preserved by Érudit. Érudit is a non-profit inter-university consortium of the Université de Montréal, Université Laval, and the Université du Québec à Montréal. Its mission is to promote and disseminate research. https://www.erudit.org/en/ Atlantic Geology 23 Foliar forms of Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri (Pennsylvanian, Sydney Coalfi eld, Nova Scotia, Canada) Erwin L. Zodrow Department of Geology, University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada B1P 6L2 <[email protected]> Date received: February 20, 2003 ¶ Date accepted: May 23, 2003 ABSTRACT Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri has been extensively fi gured and called by many different names, particularly in the European literature, since the species was erected in 1699. Much of the nature of this arborescent-medullosalean tree still remains to be documented, i.e., fructifi cation, trunk, root, and frond architecture, but its heterophyllous foliage is well known. Based on the large macrofossil collections from the Pennsylvanian Sydney Coalfi eld, Nova Scotia, Canada, it is possible to present an overall view of the diverse foliar nature of this remarkable medullosalean tree. Suggestions are offered as to how the many foliar forms fi t into the bipinnate frond of Laveine and Brousmiche (1982). RÉSUMÉ Le Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri a été abondamment décrit et a été appelé de nombreux noms différents, en par- ticulier dans la documentation européenne, car l’espèce a été établie en 1699. Il reste encore à documenter une vaste part de la nature de cet arbre arborescent-médullosaléen, c.-à-d. la fructifi cation, le tronc, les racines et l’architecture des frondes, mais on connaît bien son feuillage héterophylle. Il est possible, en se basant sur les grandes collections de macrofossiles du terrain houiller pennsylvanien de Sydney, Nouvelle-Écosse, Canada, de présenter un aperçu de la nature foliaire diversifi ée de ce remarquable arbre médullosaléen. Des hypothèses sont avancées sur la façon dont les nombreuses formes foliaires s’insèrent dans la fronde bipennée de Laveine et Brousmiche (1982). INTRODUCTION lia and N. acutifolia, and Hoffmann’s species of N. scheuchzeri Presented are different foliar forms of the concept of the were conspecifi c. This taxonomic claim is still maintained morphospecies Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri Cleal, Shute and today (Laveine 1967; present paper). Bunbury’s new species Zodrow, 1990, since the species was erected by Luyd (1669) of Odontopteris subcuneata (1847, p. 427, pl. XXIII, fi gs. 1A,B) under the name of Phyllites mineralis (see Scheuchzer 1709, was recognized by Bell (1938) as a synonym of N. scheuchzeri 1723, pl. X, p. 48; Laveine 1967; Fischer 1973; Andrews 1980). which is confi rmed by taxonomic studies by Laveine (1967), One hundred years later, after the death of the Swiss naturalist Kotasowa (1973), and the present paper. Scheuchzer in 1733, Hoffmann (in Keferstein 1826) renamed The concept of N. scheuchzeri was taxonomically refi ned P. mineralis as Neuropteris scheuchzeri to honour the Swiss by Cleal and Zodrow (1989) through epidermal work (see naturalist. also Barthel 1961). Based on that work, Cleal et al. (1990) Bunbury (1847) was the fi rst to recognize N. scheuchzeri proposed changing the generic designation of Neuropteris pro from North America amongst fossil collections shipped to parte to Macroneuropteris Cleal, Shute and Zodrow gen. nov. him by Richard Brown Sr. of Sydney Mines, Cape Breton with Macroneuropteris macrophylla (Brongniart) (Cleal et al. Island, Nova Scotia, Canada. Bunbury’s hand-written records 1990) as type species while still regarding the new combination of 1850: Part 1, Ferns and Lycophytes, preserved at Cambridge Macroneuropteris scheuchzeri as a morphogenus. University, show unequivocally that the fossils originated from M. scheuchzeri was also one of three medullosalean species the Sydney Coalfi eld, likely from the Sydney Mines strata that whose biochemical make-up was probed, the results of which today are considered Westphalian D (Cleal et al. 2003). In led to hypothesizing that pteridophylls in general can be sepa- retroview, Bunbury’s recognition of N. scheuchzeri was not rated and determined by their spectral characteristics (func- by direct morphological comparison, but by synonymous tional-carbon groups and certain ratios derived therefrom, and equivalency: he compared his new variety that he named hydrocarbon compounds: see Lyons et al. 1995; Zodrow and Neuropteris cordata var. angustifolia (1847) with Brongniart’s Mastalerz 2000). In effect, this work introduced chemotaxo- species Neuropteris angustifolia (1831, p. 231, pl. 64, fi gs. 3 nomic utility into Carboniferous plant determinations, and it and 4). Then with considerable insight Bunbury (1847, p. 424) is currently extended to cordaites as well, with encouraging emphatically stated that Brongniart’s species of N. angustifo- results (Zodrow et al. 2003), Atlantic Geology 39, 23–37 (2003) 0843-5561|03|03023-15$3.25|o 24 Zodrow Fig 1 Stratigraphy of Sydney Coalfi eld, Morien Group, Nova Scotia, Canada, and co-ordinated positions of study specimens identifi ed by accession number (e.g., 984-265) of the Nova Scotia Museum, Halifax. Atlantic Geology 25 GEOLOGICAL SETTING: SYDNEY COALFIELD prise Sydney Coalfi eld (on-shore portion of the Sydney Basin) were recently subdivided into three formations (Boehner and The Carboniferous evolution of Nova Scotia was most Giles 1986): Sydney Mines, Waddens Cove and South Bar for- recently summarized by Calder (1998). Sydney Basin is part mations (Fig. 1), where the fi rst-named formation contains the of the Maritimes Basin that encompassed nearly all of the mineable coal measures of Sydney Coalfi eld. Canadian Atlantic Provinces of New Brunswick, Nova Scotia, The biostratigraphy of the Morien Group was revised by Prince Edward Island, and southwestern Newfoundland Zodrow and Cleal (1985), and most recently by Cleal et al. (Calder 1998, fi g. 2). Basin-fi ll sediments were deposited in (2003). This entailed relocating Bell’s (1938) Westphalian D distinct intervals that can be regionally correlated. During and “C” stage boundaries downwards, and at the same time the Westphalian D and early Cantabrian, basin subsidence intercalating the Cantabrian Stage at the Lloyd Cove (Zodrow diminished and widespread coal-forest peats accumulated 1985; see Fig. 1). Carboniferous nomenclature proposed by on near-costal plains (Ryan et al. 1991; Gibling and Bird 1994; Menning et al. (1991) is followed in this paper. Calder 1998). The ca. 2200 m of the Morien Group (Bell 1938) that com- SAMPLE DEPOSITORY The 17 fi gured specimens from the Sydney Mines Formation, represent critical selections to illustrate diverse forms from a total of ca. 300 M. scheuchzeri specimens col- lected from the entire Morien Group. These are an integral part of the documented ca. 15000 macrofl oral specimens retrieved by the author from the Sydney Coalfi eld since 1973. Fig 2 (left & above) Typical M. scheuchzeri foliage. a) Upper surface of a broadly-shaped lanceolate pinnule, round api- cally, with cordate base. 977-408, Lloyd Cove Seam. b) Illus- trating copious, epicuticular hair growth on a pinnule; mid section is shown. 997-230; Bouthilier Seam. 26 Zodrow These collections are housed at the University College of Cape Breton, Sydney, Nova Scotia, Canada, with the author being the curator. SAMPLE MATERIAL AND METHODS The study material is stratigraphically documented in Fig. 1, bearing accession numbers of the Nova Scotia Museum, e.g., 977(GF)-408. The fossils are preserved by compression in silty- shale and shale rocks, and invariably yielded intact cuticles (Cleal and Zodrow 1989; Lyons et al. 1995). A recent survey (unpublished data, January 2003) demonstrated that 45 speci- mens, representing the entire Morien Group (Fig. 1), all tested positive for intact cuticles. From a 6-cm long “ultimate pinna” of the “Odontopteris subcuneata” form of M. scheuchzeri, 14 slide-mounted