Sprecher
Beschreibung
The upper part of the Rio da Batateira Formation crops out at the Cascata section (sensu Heimhofer and Hochhuli, 2010) and comprises a ca. 15 m thick fluvial to deltaic sedimentary rock succession of Aptian age. Eleven sedimentary rock samples have been investigated using the routine application of SEM and up to now more than 30 monocot and basal angiosperm pollen have been identified. Here, we will present LM and SEM images of various monocot and basal angiosperm pollen that have not been published previously. Amongst the numerous Clavatipollenites-, Retimonocolpites-, Pennipollis-, Stellatopollis etc. types, are a lot of pollen that are not assignable, these are either preserved as single grains or in tetrads and lumps. The botanical affiliation these sulcate pollen, except for the various Clavatipollenites types of are still unknown, however, there are sulcate and ulcerate pollen types that are surficially reminiscent of extant Arecaceae, Myristicaceae and Piperales. The remaining taxa are still enigmatic and might represent extinct early angiosperm lineages. The results of the high resolution SEM investigation of the Rio da Batateira sedimentary rocks show that the NW Brazil was one of the localities that witnessed an early diversification phase of angiosperms in the northern Gondwana realm.emphasized text