Parka decipiens

Parka decipiens is a Devonian fossil believed to be an early land plant, and is the only species described in the genus Parka. It bears at least a passing resemblance to the alga Coleochaete,[1] but the significance of this similarity is yet to be established.[2]

Parka decipiens
Temporal range: Devonian
Parka decipiens from Devonian of Scotland
Scientific classification
Kingdom:
Plantae
Division:
Charophyta?
Class:
Charophyceae?
Order:
Coleochaetales?
Genus:
Parka
Species:
P. decipiens
Binomial name
Parka decipiens
Fleming, 1831

Description

The fossils of Parka decipiens seem small circular, elliptic or irregular patches reaching a diameter of 0.5–7.5 centimetres (0.20–2.95 in), with a reticulate structure showing small coaly discs. These discs contain a mass of what could be spores.[3] Ultrastructural examination of these spores has shown that they lack the y-shaped trilete mark, a Y-like scar, that is characteristic of Silurian and Devonian pteridophytes. [4]

References
  1. Delwiche, C.F.; Graham, L.E.; Thomson, N. (1989), "Lignin-Like Compounds and Sporopollenin Coleochaete, an Algal Model for Land Plant Ancestry", Science, 245 (4916): 399–401, Bibcode:1989Sci...245..399D, doi:10.1126/science.245.4916.399, PMID 17744148, S2CID 6763357
  2. Kenrick, P.; Crane, P.R. (1997), "The Origin and Early Evolution of Plants on Land", Nature, 389 (6646): 33–39, Bibcode:1997Natur.389...33K, doi:10.1038/37918, S2CID 3866183
  3. The enigmatic plant Parka decipiens
  4. Hemsley, A.R. (1989). "The ultrastructure of the spores of the Devonian plant Parka decipiens". Annals of Botany. 64 (3): 359–367. doi:10.1093/oxfordjournals.aob.a087852.


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