Endemism of Early Cretaceous Conifers in Western Gondwana

ARCHANGELSKY, S.; DEL FUEYO, G. M.

Plants in Mesozoic Time: Innovations, Phylogeny, Ecosystems (Ted Delevoryas festschrift)

Indiana University Press

Lugar: Indiana-USA; Año: 2010; p. 247 - 268

Early Cretaceous conifers occur in many parts of Western Gondwana. The families represented are the Araucariaceae, Cheirolepidiaceae, Podocarpaceae, and the taxodiaceous Cupressaceae. On the genus level, many taxa have a global distribution, however, although some of them are restricted to the southern regions. In regard to species level, a high number of endemics are located in southwestern Gondwana. This paleophytogeographical area extends from Patagonia to southern Africa in the east, to mid South America in the north, and probably as far as the Antarctic Peninsula in the south. These endemic taxa are characterized and discussed in this chapter. Endemism is especially strong among the podocarps and araucarians.