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Weltrichia givulescui POPA 2001

1969 Williamsonia sp. HUMML, p. 349, Pl. VII, Fig. 15.
1990 Weltrichia sp. GIVULESCU, p. 2. Pl. 1, Fig. 1, Pl. 2, Fig. 1, 2.
2001 Weltrichia givulescui POPA, p. 70-72, Text-figs. 1-4, Pl. 1, Figs. 1-4.

Cycadopsida/Cycadeoidales/Williamsoniaceae

Diagnosis
Bennettitalean male reproductive structure with 16 radial microsporophylls (rays) and a central cup, deeply depressed. The sporophylls have a longitudinal rib on abaxial and adaxial sides, entire margins, acute apices, they are fibrous and thick, and each of them is continued centripetally with an appendage that overlaps the adaxial, inner surface of the central cup. The central cup is covered adaxially by small pustules, possibly attractant bodies.

Discussion
The invariable occurrence of W. givulescui especially with Zamites aninaensis, but also with Z. schmiedelii and Z. andraeanus foliage suggests that this structure belongs to one of these plants, most probably to Z. aninaensis.

Occurrence
Anina, former Steierdorf, Resita Basin, Caras-Severin County, Romania.

Phytostratigraphy
The stratigraphic position of W. givulescui is always above the Coal seam No. 5, in all Anina coalfields. Usually, it can be found within the roofs of the 6th or 7th Coal seams in Anina area, especially for the Northern Coalfields (Anina, Zona Noua and Bradet Coalfields). It is a typical Sinemurian taxon and the reproductive structure of a Sinemurian coal generator.

Paleoecology
Marsh edges.

Material
The material is compressed, with the lamina of the microsporophylls often well preserved. The preservation is rather good, with structures preserved transversally or longitudinally, in spite of polliniferous sacs lacking.

References
Givulescu, R., 1990. Zwei neue Bennettitenblutten aus dem Unteren Lias von Anina (Banat, Rumanien). Documenta Naturae, 59(2): 1-7.
Humml, H., 1969. Contributii la flora fosila a Liasicului inferior de la Steierdorf-Anina. Studii si cercetari de geologie, geofizica, geografie, Sectia geologie, 14(2): 385-404.
Popa, M.E., 2001. Aspects of Romanian Early Jurassic palaeobotany and palynology. Part IV. A new species of Weltrichia from Anina. Studia Universitatis Babes-Bolyai, Geologie, XLVI(2): 69-76.

Weltrichia givulescui, holotype, sample P113/C1/30A, Popa collection, University of Bucharest.

Reconstruction of Weltrichia givulescui, in Popa (2001).