Forked fan-maidenhair tree
Baiera furcata
An extinct gymnosperm species from the Mesozoic era, recognized by its deeply dissected, ribbon-like leaf …
Fossil remains of Baiera delicatula offer a rare glimpse into the Mesozoic flora of Gondwana. Discovered in the Lower Cretaceous Koonwarra Fossil Bed of Victoria, Australia, this extinct gymnosperm is closely related to modern ginkgos. Palaeobotanical revisions have allied this taxon with Ginkgo australis, highlighting the historical diversity of the Ginkgoaceae family in the Southern Hemisphere.
The vegetative structures of this taxon exhibit the characteristic features of the family Ginkgoaceae. Leaves are fan-shaped and deeply divided into multiple narrow, linear segments with distinct dichotomous venation. The delicate, slender nature of these leaf lobes distinguished it from other contemporary ginkgophytes, reflecting adaptations to its humid, high-latitude environment.
Scientific investigations into the Koonwarra Fossil Bed suggest that this species grew in high-latitude zones during the Lower Cretaceous. Key highlights of its discovery include:
Baiera furcata
An extinct gymnosperm species from the Mesozoic era, recognized by its deeply dissected, ribbon-like leaf …
Picrasma
A genus of deciduous trees and shrubs known for their extremely bitter bark and medicinal …
Araucaria humboldtensis
A small, critically endangered coniferous tree native strictly to the high-altitude mountain peaks of southern …
Araucaria sect. Araucaria
Araucaria sect. Araucaria is a botanical section of evergreen conifers native to South America. It …