Noeggerathians †
Historically the Noeggerathians have been classified as many different groups: cycads, equisetophytes, ferns, and progymnosperms. Well-preserved fossils from Inner Mongolia, China, indicate that they are a heterosporous group of progymnosperms. They were success and dominant in Permian swamps, but disappear during the Permian extinction event.
Ecology and Habit
Dominant in some Permian swamps
Some are interpreted as being small plants (e.g. Noeggerathia foliosa)
Stems
Gymnospermous wood
Leaves
Noeggerathia bears leafy shoots with two opposite rows of leaves
Leaves are obovate and obliquely attached to stems
Tingia, similar to Noeggerathia, with longer anisophyllous leaves born in four vertical rows (Kon'no & Asama 1951)
Reproduction
Spore-bearing plants
Two-ranked laminate sporophylls born at end of vegetative branches
Sporangia are attached adaxially
Slight heterospory is exhibited in sporangia (e.g. Noeggerathiaestrobus)
Bisporangiate cones with whorls of sporophylls (e.g. Discinites)
Tingiostachys are cones attached to the leaves of Tingia
Cones fork once at the base
Sporophylls are helically arranged and attached by a pedicel
Classification
Geologic Age
