Utrechtiaceae is an extinct family of trees related to modern conifers.[1] This family dates back to the late Carboniferous and Early Permian.[2]

Utrechtiaceae
Fossil of Utrechtia piniformis
Scientific classification Edit this classification
Kingdom: Plantae
Clade: Tracheophytes
Clade: Gymnospermae
Division: Pinophyta
Class: Pinopsida
Order: Voltziales
Family: Utrechtiaceae
Mapes & G. W. Rothwell

Description

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They were forest trees with almost horizontal standing leafy lateral shoots and with vertical tribes. They were generally small trees.[2] At least with Utrechtia piniformis the side shoots are in whorls.[3]

Like other Voltzialean plants, they had compact ovulate cones bearing bilateral bract-scale complexes. The leaves are scale-like, arranged spirally and only a few millimeters long.

Genera

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Utrechtiaceae include the following selected genera:[1][2]

See also

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References

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  • Paleobiology Database
  • Charles B. Beck: Origin and Evolution of Gymnosperms. Columbia University Press, New York 1988 ISBN 0-231-06358-X
  • Wilson Nichols Stewart,Gar W. Rothwell Paleobotany and the Evolution of Plants
  • G.W. Rothwell, Gene Mapes Validation of the names Utrechtiaceae, Utrechtia, and Utrechtia floriniformis
  • Edith L. Taylor,Thomas N. Taylor,Michael Krings Paleobotany: The Biology and Evolution of Fossil Plants Prentice Hall, Englewood Cliffs 1993, S. 676-679. ISBN 0-13-651589-4