Morphological and Taxonomic Interpretation of Orestovia and Schuguria, Enigmatic Devonian Plants from Russia

Abstract

A detailed study of the external and internal surfaces of the cuticle of Orestovia and Schuguria using scanning electron microscopy and confocal laser microscopy has shown that the structures formerly interpreted as stomata or reproductive organs are most likely to be gland cells producing mucilage. Each structure represents a single large cell with a complex aperture on the external wall. In addition, a reproductive organ similar to multilocular sporangia known in brown algae of the order Ectocarpales has been found in attachment to a compression fossil of Orestovia. These data suggest similarity of the genera studied with brown algae.