title: New data on the stem and leaf anatomy of two conifers from the Lower Cretaceous of the Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil, and their taxonomic and paleoecological implications.
abstract: Pseudofrenelopsis and Brachyphyllum are two conifers that were part of the Lower Cretaceous (Aptian) taphoflora of the Crato Formation, Araripe Basin, northeastern Brazil. The former genus includes, so far, P. capillata and indeterminate species, whilst the latter is mainly represented by B. obesum, the most common plant megafossil recovered from that stratigraphic unit. Here, the stem and leaf anatomy of Pseudofrenelopsis sp. and B. obesum specimens is revisited, including the first report of some epidermal and vascular traits for both taxa from the Crato Formation. Along with its paleoecological significance, the new data suggest the presence of more than one Pseudofrenelopsis species in the Aptian taphoflora of the Araripe Basin and further support the taxonomic placement of B. obesum within Araucariaceae.
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Ecologia e Recursos Naturais, Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Edenilce Peixoto
authors.initials: ME
authors.lastname: Batista
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Estadual de Santa Cruz, Santa Cruz, Bahia, Brazil.
authors.forename: Delmira da Costa
authors.initials: DD
authors.lastname: Silva
authors.affiliation: Programa de Pós-Graduação em Geociências, Instituto de Geociências, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Porto Alegre, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil.
authors.forename: Marcos A F
authors.initials: MA
authors.lastname: Sales
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Geologia, Universidade de Trás-os-Montes e Alto Douro, Vila Real, Portugal.|Centro de Geociências, Universidade de Coimbra, Coimbra, Portugal.
authors.forename: Artur A
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Sá
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Ciências Biológicas, Universidade Regional do Cariri, Crato, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Antônio A F
authors.initials: AA
authors.lastname: Saraiva
authors.affiliation: Departamento de Biologia, Universidade Federal do Ceará, Fortaleza, Ceará, Brazil.
authors.forename: Maria Iracema Bezerra
authors.initials: MI
authors.lastname: Loiola
mesh_terms: D001938:Brazil; D005580:Fossils; D049690:History, Ancient; D008855:Microscopy, Electron, Scanning; D010163:Paleontology; D010802:Phylogeny; D058974:Phylogeography; D018515:Plant Leaves / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D018547:Plant Stems / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000648:ultrastructure; D064028:Tracheophyta / Q000033:anatomy & histology* / Q000145:classification / Q000648:ultrastructure