Botanical affinities of isolated palynomorphs included in this paper indicate the presence of sphenopsids (Equisetopsids) and ferns (Osmundaceae) during the early Permian period along with gymnosperms (Cycadales, Benniettitales).
Possible Botanical Affinities: Osmundaceae [24] Infraturma APICULATI (Bennie and Kidson) Potonie 1956 [14] Subinfraturma GRANULATI Dybova and Jachowitz 1957 [26] Genus GRANULATISPORITES Ibrahim 1933 [27]
The possible affinities of these genera point towards the presence of the members of Filicales (mainly Dicksoniaceae) and Osmundaceae [20, 24, 28].
Although no fern macrofossils have been seen in the Newvale leafbeds, spores include Cyatheaceae, Davalliaceae, Dicksoniaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Osmundaceae, Hymenophyllaceae, Polypodiaceae and Psilotaceae.
Sterile and fertile leaves or leaflets strongly dimorphic; fertile portions lacking leafy tissue; flat stipules present at base of leaves; sporangia without well defined annulus (row of thick-walled cells) Osmundaceae
Both Bower (1923-1928) and Copeland (1947) recognized the Osmundaceae, Schizaeaceae, Hymenophyllaceae, Gleicheniaceae, Matoniaceae, and possibly Cyatheaceae as relatively primitive ("basal") filicaleans and the Marsileaceae and Salviniaceae as distinct, distantly related families of heterosporous ferns.