Scutifolium Explained

Scutifolium jordanicum was a species of aquatic plant, which occurred in the lower Cretaceous period of Jordan.[1]

Description

Vegetative characteristics

The petiolate, symmetrical, microphyllous, elliptical leaves of Scutifolium jordanicum are 22-51 mm long, and 19-37 mm wide.

Taxonomy

Publication

It was published by David Winship Taylor, Gilbert J. Brenner, and Sa’d Hasan Basha in 2008.

Type specimen

The type specimen was collected in Mahis, Jordan.

Position within Nymphaeales

It is placed in the family Cabombaceae.

Etymology

The generic name Scutifolium is derived from the Latin scutum meaning shield and folium meaning leaf. The specific epithet jordanicum means "from Jordan".

Notes and References

  1. Taylor, D. W., Brenner, G. J., & Basha, S. D. H. (2008). "Scutifolium jordanicum gen. et sp. nov.(Cabombaceae), an aquatic fossil plant from the Lower Cretaceous of Jordan, and the relationships of related leaf fossils to living genera." American Journal of Botany, 95(3), 340-352.