On the Cretaceous mangroves of Bahariya Oasis, Egypt

Document Type : Original Article

Authors

1 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, Ain Shams University

2 Geology Dapartment, Faculty of Science, University of Benha, Egypt

3 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, University of Ain-Shams, Egypt

4 Science Museum, Ministry of Education, Cairo, Egypt.

5 Botany Department, Faculty of Science, University of Ain-Shams, Egypt.

Abstract

Petrified stems (rhizomes) of a fern are described from Late Cretaceous (Cenomanian)
beds in Bahariya Oasis. The discovered stems are related to Paradoxopteris stromeri
Hirmer (fern rachii) and to Weichselia reticulata Stokes & Webb. (fern pinnae); both
already known from also Cenomanian beds of this Oasis. Haloed axes are described
from Late Cretaceous (Campanian) beds, i.e. younger than the beds containing the
petrified stems. Comments on the nature of these axes, the affinities of the stems and
the palaeoenvironments of the area in the two mentioned geologic ages (Cenomanian &
Campanian) are given.

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