Fertile organs andin situ spores of a matoniaceous fern from the Lower Jurassic of West Hubei

Fossil matoniaceous plants represented byPhlebopteris have been formerly described and illustrated from the Mesozoic of China mainly based on vegetative leaves, and no information is provided on the fine structure of fertile organs. Recent reinvestigation of the Hsiangchi Flora from the Lower Jurassic of West Hubei, China, obtained a rich collection of well preservedPhlebopteris specimens (both sterile and fertile). Studies onPhlebopteris polypodioides Brongniart using LM and SEM reveal not only the structures of sori and sporangia, but also the details ofin situ spores. Comparisons have been made between thein situ spores and other related fossil and extant matoniaceous spores, as well as the dispersed genera.