Journal
ANNUAL REVIEW OF EARTH AND PLANETARY SCIENCES, VOL 40
Volume 40, Issue -, Pages 301-326Publisher
ANNUAL REVIEWS
DOI: 10.1146/annurev-earth-042711-105313
Keywords
Cretaceous; molecular systematics; paleobotany; palynology; phylogeny
Ask authors/readers for more resources
Molecular data on relationships within angiosperms confirm the view that their increasing morphological diversity through the Cretaceous reflected their evolutionary radiation. Despite the early appearance of aquatics and groups with simple flowers, the record is consistent with inferences from molecular trees that the first angiosperms were woody plants with pinnately veined leaves, multiparted flowers, uniovulate ascidiate carpels, and columel-larmonosulcate pollen. Molecular data appear to refute the hypothesis based on morphology that angiosperms and Gnetales are closest living relatives. Morphological analyses of living and fossil seed plants that assume molecular relationships identify glossopterids, Bennettitales, and Caytonia as angiosperm relatives; these results are consistent with proposed homologies between the cupule of glossopterids and Caytonia and the angiosperm bitegmic ovule. Jurassic molecular dates for the angiosperms may be reconciled with the fossil record if the first angiosperms were restricted to wet forest under-story habitats and did not radiate until the Cretaceous.
Authors
I am an author on this paper
Click your name to claim this paper and add it to your profile.
Reviews
Recommended
No Data Available