Annularia Explained

Annularia is a form taxon, applied to fossil foliage belonging to extinct plants of the genus Calamites in the order Equisetales.

Description

Annularia is a form taxon name given to leaves of Calamites. In that species, the leaves formed radiating leaf whorls at each stem node, in a similar way to the branches of Equisetum, an extant genus of horsetails. Annularia leaves are arranged in whorls of between 8-13 leaves. The leaf shape is quite variable, being oval in Annularia sphenophylloides and linear to lanceolate in Annularia radiata, but they are always flat and of varying lengths.[1]

Calamites were arborescent and grew to a height of 32abbr=offNaNabbr=off.[2]

Fossil records

Fossils of this genus have been discovered in the Permian strata of Russia and in the Carboniferous (around) strata of the United States, Canada, China and Europe.[1] [3]

See also

External links

Notes and References

  1. https://web.archive.org/web/20071222010031/http://es.encarta.msn.com/encyclopedia_961537580/Annularia.html MSN
  2. http://www.museum.state.il.us/exhibits/mazon_creek/annularia.html Illinois State Museum - Annularia sp. Mazon Creek Fossils
  3. http://www.fossilworks.org/cgi-bin/bridge.pl?a=taxonInfo&taxon_no=271024 Paleobiology Database