Dicroidium diversity in the Upper Triassic of north Victoria Land, East Antarctica

We describe an assemblage of well-preserved, cuticle-bearing plant compressions collected from a single bed in the Upper Triassic of Timber Peak, East Antarctica. The flora is dominated by the seed fern Dicroidium, a morphogenus that is widespread and usually dominant in Middle to Late Triassic plant assemblages throughout Gondwana. Despite its common occurrence, the systematic classification of Dicroidium and its individual species remains problematic. This study demonstrates that a combination of macromorphological and cuticular features enables a suitable discrimination of Dicroidium species. The present Dicroidium assemblage is remarkably diverse and dominated by D. elongatum with subordinate proportions of D. odontopteroides, D. crassinervis, and a new species provisionally named D. sp. A. In addition, D. dubium, D. spinifolium, and D. coriaceum occur sporadically. We reinstitute D. spinifolium and propose an emended diagnosis. Other taxa present include putative bryophyte remains, Lepidopteris langlohensis, and Heidiphyllum elongatum. Another collection of plant fossils from a second plant-bearing horizon at Timber Peak consists of fragmentary remains of Cladophlebis sp. and H. elongatum. Epidermal and cuticular features of the Dicroidium fronds suggest that this flora flourished under favourable climatic conditions, although it was situated at latitudes of about 70 degrees S and must have experienced long annual periods of darkness during the austral winter. The cuticles studied point to a short leaf lifespan and very high photosynthetic performance of Dicroidium fronds. We suggest that this leaf phenology has facilitated the Dicroidium plants to colonize the polar latitudes of the Triassic greenhouse world so successfully. (C) 2010 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.