Matoniaceous ferns from the Lower Jurassic strata of the Holy Cross Mountains (SE Poland). Revision of historical specimens and description of some new materials

Abstract

Ferns from the family Matoniaceae are characteristic but not very numerous elements of Early Jurassic floras of the Holy Cross Mountains. Based on historical specimens from the Geological Institute of the Polish Academy of Sciences, only partly published by Raciborski and Makarewiczówna, and a new collection gathered recently from the Gromadzice outcrop, two taxa are here recognised: Matonia braunii and Phlebopteris angustiloba, of which only P. angustiloba is rather frequent. Both species are represented by sterile and fertile specimens well comparable with historical and recently published material of these species from Greenland, Germany and Sweden. Specimens referred by Raciborski to Laccopteris elegans (illegitimate name) do not belong to Matoniaceae.