CHITALEY, SHYA* and WILMER STOWE. Cleveland Museum of Natural History, 1 Wade Oval, University Circle, Cleveland, OH 44106-1767. - Spores from within the late Devonian Lycopsid cones of Ohio, U.S.A. and from the matrix around the cones.
Studies of the 363 million-year-old Cleveland Shale of Ohio have
revealed many lycopsid cones. Unlike the tiny cones of modern
lycopods, these are all large, with central woody axis, showing an
arborescent habit. While no permineralized cones have been found, the
preserved compressions of these coaly films are being investigated.
The sporophylls of a few cones and some pieces of the shale matrix
around these cones were selected for study. Samples were chemically
macerated using published paleontological techniques. Microslides were
prepared using glycerine jelly or Permount. Many spores were found
both inside the cones and from the shaly matrix around the cones.
Algal cysts Tasmmanites were found only in the samples of matrix
around the cones. The sporophylls of the cones showed clusters of
spores attached to sporangia. Spores from the sporangia were round
with triradiate marks and sculpturing on the wall. Spores from the
matrix were round, triangular, and boat shaped with triradiate marks.
However, with some exceptions, they have little affinity with the
spores from the cones. It is likely that the cones had not opened to
release the spores. The spores found in the matrix might have traveled
from distant forests either by wind or water and deposited in the
Cleveland Shale which also provided abode for the cones.
Key words: Cleveland shale, Devonian spores, lycopsid