New insights into the Middle Jurassic floras of Sardinia (Italy): the Miccolis Collection at the Museo di Storia Naturale of Venice, Italy

Abstract

The fossil plants of the Domenico Miccolis Collection, stored at the Museo di Storia Naturale of Venice (Italy), are from the Middle Jurassic Genna Selole Formation of central Sardinia. The assemblage contains 11 taxa: Marattia intermedia, Phlebopteris muensteri, P. braunii, Coniopteris sp. cf. C. hymenophylloides, Dicksonia kendallii, Eboracia sp. cf. E. lobifolia, Cladophlebis sp., Weltrichia sp. cf. W. whitbiensis, Geinitzia divaricata, Brachyphyllum expansum and Carpolithes sp. 2. Six species are described for the first time from the Jurassic strata of Sardinia (and Italy), thus increasing the known biodiversity of the flora of this age from these regions. The newly identified taxa have several characters in common with the well-studied Yorkshire flora (UK) indicating strong floristic affinities between southern and western Europe during the Jurassic.