STRUCTURE AND AFFINITIES OF THE PETRIFIED PLANTS FROM THE CRETACEOUS OF NORTHERN JAPAN AND SAGHALIEN .15. YEZONIA A NEW SECTION OF ARAUCARIA (ARAUCARIACEAE) BASED ON PERMINERALIZED VEGETATIVE AND REPRODUCTIVE ORGANS OF A-VULGARIS COMB NOV FROM THE UP

摘要

A new specimen of an araucarian cone, Araucaria nihongii, was found attached to the vegetative organs of Yezonia vulgaris, and is described as Araucaria vulgaris comb. nov. Thick branches show characteristic bark structure with lenticular patches. Secondary wood is usually araucarioid. Leaves are arranged helically on shoots, which are imbricate, appressed and fused to surface of the stem. External and anatomical features of leaves closely resemble Brachyphyllum. The seed cone is spherical with winged bracts and thin ovuliferous scales. One seed is borne per cone-scale complex. The seed coat and nucellus wall show typical araucarian structure. An araucarian plant that bore Brachyphyllum-like foliage and a Eutacta-like seed cone was predicted by Harris in 1979. This reconstructed plant, Araucaria vulgaris, supports this theory and proves the presence of an extinct characteristic-form of the genus. A new section of the genus was proposed for Araucaria vulgaris.