Rochipteris nov. gen., hojas incertae sedis (= Chiropteris pro parte) del Triásico Superior de Argentina y Chile

Abstract

Rochipteris nov. gen. is erected to include some gondwanic leaf species previously assigned to Chiropteris Kurr ex Bronn. The new genus includes leaves apetiolate, cuneate, elongated to flabelliform, with borders entire to incised to variable degrees and with anastomosing venation. The original definition of Chiropteris included funnel-shaped leaves (or leaflets) without anastomoses. The emendation by Retallack of Ginkgophytopsis Høeg which includes Chiropteris is rejected as its original sense is completely modified. It is also suggested that the cordate and semicircular species with anastomosing venation, at present included in Chiropteris, should be transferred to other taxa. Five species of Rochipteris are described, including the new species, R. alexandriana and R. chilensis Gnaedinger, from the Upper Triassic of Argentina and Chile respectively; the characters of R. lacerata (Arber), R. cuneaia (Carr.) and R. copiapensis (Solms-Laubach), which were confusingly treated in previous literature, are discussed.