Journal article

Paleocene flora from Seymour Island, Antarctica: Revision of Dusén's (1908) pteridophyte and conifer taxa

DJ Cantrill, AMP Tosolini, JE Francis

Alcheringa | Published : 2011

Abstract

The Paleocene flora from Seymour Island, Antarctica, first collected by Nordenskjöld on the Swedish South Polar Expedition (1901-1903), was described by Dusén (1908) as having 87 leaf taxa making it one of the most diverse floras of this age in the Southern Hemisphere. The original descriptions of these leaf impressions included 37 pteridophytes and one conifer. Many species identified by Dusén were based on single fragmentary specimens. Major new collections housed at the British Antarctic Survey (Cambridge, UK), together with the original collections held at The Swedish Museum of Natural History, form the basis for a taxonomic revision of the flora. This paper concentrates on the pteridoph..

View full abstract

University of Melbourne Researchers

Grants

Awarded by American Museum of Natural History


Funding Acknowledgements

Funding of JEF, DJC and the postdoctoral position of A-M.P.T. was derived from the NERC-BAS Antarctic Funding Initiative grant GR3/G0001. All fieldwork to Antarctica was supported by this funding initiative, although specimens from many BAS trips to the region were also analysed. We would like to thank Dr I. Poole and Crispin Day for helping to collect material in 1999, to Rob Scott in 2000, and also to past BAS (FIDS) geologists for their collections of the Cross Valley flora. Dr Richard Hunt is thanked for assistance with leaf architecture analysis, and drawing and photographic techniques. DJC would like to acknowledge that part of this work was supported when he was employed at the British Antarctic Survey and at the Swedish Museum of Natural History. The Swedish Museum of Natural History is thanked for giving assistance and access to the Nordenskjold Collection. Reviewers are acknowledged for helpful comments on the manuscript.