An angiosperm dominated florula from the Upper Cretaceous of Saudi Arabia

A new florula, dominated by angiosperm leaves, is reported from the Upper Cretaceous (Turonian?) Malihah Formation of Saudi Arabia. The leaves are fragmentary preserved as impressions with a rust coloured, mineral coating, thus it is only possible to describe the best-preserved leaf forms as morphotaxa for the time being. Eight angiosperm and two gymnosperm morphotypes can be distinguished. Morphologically the flora exhibits more similarities to Aptian -Cenomanian floras than to Turonian floras from northern Gondwana. Knowledge about this florula fills a regional gap in our knowledge about Cretaceous floras from the Arabian Peninsula and its surroundings. 0 2021 Elsevier Ltd. All rights reserved.

Automated summary

A new florula dominated by angiosperm leaves in the Upper Cretaceous Malihah Formation of Saudi Arabia is described, filling a regional gap in knowledge about Cretaceous floras from the Arabian Peninsula and its surroundings. The leaves are fragmentarily preserved as impressions with a rust-colored mineral coating, and the flora exhibits more similarities to Aptian-Cenomanian floras than to Turonian floras from northern Gondwana.