MIDDLE TRIASSIC (ANISIAN) FERNS FROM KÜHWIESENKOPF (MONTE PRÁ DELLA VACCA), DOLOMITES, NORTHERN ITALY

Abstract: This papers deals with the description of the ferns found in the recently discovered Anisian locality of Kühwiesenkopf (Monte Prà della Vacca). A revision of the genera and species involved has been undertaken where necessary. Because of transitional material found at Kühwiesenkopf, the number of Neuropteridium species found in the European Middle Triassic floras is reduced from five to three: N. voltzii (Brongniart) Schimper, N. elegans (Brongniart) Schimper and N. grandifolium (Schimper et Mougeot) Compter. The fertile material attributed to this genus is transferred from the illegitimately published genus Crematopteris Schimper and Mougeot to the genus Scolopendrites Goeppert, in two species: S. scolopendrioides (Brongniart) comb. nov. and S. grauvogelii sp. nov. Anomopteris mougeotii Brongniart is unequivocally recorded for the first time from Italy. Gordonopteris lorigae gen. et sp. nov. is described for tripinnate fern fronds without the aphlebiae typical for the bipinnate genus Anomopteris but in which both sterile and fertile pinnule resemble closely those from that genus. Two probable marattialean ferns are described and recorded for the first time from the Middle Triassic of Italy: Marattiopsis sp. and Marantoidea sp. The nomenclature of the latter genus is discussed. Some ferns attributed to morphogenera are also described, namely: Sphenopteris schoenleiniana (Brongniart) Presl, Cladophlebis remota (Presl) comb. nov. and Cladophlebis sp. Moreover, two specimens from Kühwiesenkopf are described under gen. et sp. indet. as we are unsure if they are ferns or seed ferns. Similar material has been described from the Scythian of China as Neuropteridium curvinerve Wang and Wang.