Mesodescolea
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| Mesodescolea Temporal range: | |
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| Genus: | Mesodescolea S.Archang.[1] |
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Mesodescolea is a genus of fossil foliage with uncertain affinities from the Early Cretaceous of Argentina[1] and Antarctica.[2] It includes only one species, Mesodescolea plicata.
The genus was first erected by Sergio Archangelsky based on material from the Aptian of the Anfiteatro de Ticó formation.[1] The name of the genus is dedicated to the naturalist Horacio Descole. Although it was originally compared to cycadalean genera such as Ctenis and Stangeria, its affinities were originally considered uncertain. Later reinvestigations and emendations cemented the view that Mesodescolea was a member of the Cycadales family Stangeriaceae.[3][4][5] Other authors have proposed that the genus represents a member of the angiosperms with affinities with the ANA grade or Chloranthaceae.[6]