Parataxodium
| Parataxodium Temporal range:
| |
|---|---|
| Scientific classification | |
| Kingdom: | Plantae |
| Clade: | Tracheophytes |
| Clade: | Gymnospermae |
| Division: | Pinophyta |
| Class: | Pinopsida |
| Order: | Cupressales |
| Family: | Cupressaceae |
| Subfamily: | Taxodioideae |
| Genus: | †Parataxodium Arnold and Lowther |
Parataxodium is an extinct genus of conifer that belonged to the subfamily Taxodioideae,[1] a group included within cypress family.[1] It is known primarily from fossilized remains dated to the Late Cretaceous period and is considered morphologically intermediate between modern genera such as Taxodium (bald cypress) and Metasequoia (dawn redwood).[1] One species is known, Parataxodium wigginsii.[1][2] Although it belongs to the swamp cypress family, it inhabited a much wider range of environments, including the cooler regions of Alaska.[2] Although most fossils come from the Cretaceous, specimens are also known from both the Jurassic and the Paleogene.[3]
Distribution
Fossils are known from China, Canada and the United States (such as in Alaska, North Dakota and Montana).[3][2]
References
- ^ a b c d Arnold, Chester A.; Lowther, J. Stewart (June 1955). "A NEW CRETACEOUS CONIFER FROM NORTHERN ALASKA". American Journal of Botany. 42 (6): 522–528. doi:10.1002/j.1537-2197.1955.tb11156.x. hdl:2027.42/141474. ISSN 0002-9122.
- ^ a b c Rothwell, Gar W.; Stockey, Ruth A.; Smith, Selena Y. (2020-12-01). "Revisiting the Late Cretaceous Parataxodium wigginsii flora from the North Slope of Alaska, a high-latitude temperate forest". Cretaceous Research. 116 104592. doi:10.1016/j.cretres.2020.104592. ISSN 0195-6671.
- ^ a b "†Parataxodium Arnold and Lowther 1955 (conifer)". PBDB.org.