Sanfordiacaulis Temporal range:
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A reconstruction of Sanfordiacaulis | |
Scientific classification | |
Kingdom: | Plantae |
Clade: | Tracheophyta |
Genus: | †
Sanfordiacaulis Gastaldo et al., 2024 |
Species: | †S. densifolia
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Binomial name | |
†Sanfordiacaulis densifolia Gastaldo et al., 2024
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Sanfordiacaulis is an enigmatic genus of early Carboniferous plant from New Brunswick, Canada, described in 2024, distinguished by its unusual crown morphology and known from five specimens. [1] [2] [3] It was discovered in 2017 near Norton, now part of Valley Waters. [4]
Sanfordiacaulis is an indeterminate vascular plant, roughly 2 m (6 ft 7 in) in height, with a non-woody stem 16 cm (6.3 in) wide and a crown width of 5 to 6 m (16 to 20 ft). Its leaves are arranged in a tightly packed, non-Fibonacci spiral, with the portion of the trunk bearing leaves estimated to have had over 200 laterals based on petiole distribution. [1]
Sanfordiacaulis's genus name is derived from the quarry containing the specimens and its owner, Laurie Sanford, whereas its specific name, densifolia is derived from the dense arrangement of leaves. [1]